Sovereignty Wins 151st Kentucky Derby
Sovereignty has claimed victory at the 151st Kentucky Derby, securing the prestigious title and a remarkable $3.1 million prize. The talented horse was skillfully ridden by Junior Alvarado, who celebrated his first career win at the renowned event.
A total of 19 horses participated in the exhilarating race, with other notable finishers including Journalism, Baeza, and Final Gambit. The Kentucky Derby serves as the first leg of the esteemed Triple Crown series, followed by the Preakness Stakes on May 17 and the Belmont Stakes from June 4-8.
Prior to the race, Journalism was the favored contender with odds of 7/2, closely followed by Sandman at 5-1 and Luxor Cafe at 8-1. Sovereignty held the fourth-best odds at 9-1, while American Promise followed closely behind at 11-1.
Joining Sovereignty and Journalism in the race were Citizen Bull, Neoquos, American Promise, Admire Daytona, Flying Mohawk, East Avenue, Publisher, Tiztastic, Render Judgement, Coal Battle, Chunk of Gold, and Owen Almighty.
The total purse for the 2025 Kentucky Derby amounted to $5 million, with the top five finishers sharing the winnings. The second-place finisher received $1 million, third place earned $500,000, fourth place secured $250,000, and fifth place walked away with $150,000. Jockey Alvarado, as the winning rider, received a 10% share of the first-place prize, totaling $310,000.
Notably, the Kentucky Derby boasts the highest purse value among the Triple Crown races, with the Belmont Stakes and Preakness Stakes offering $2 million each.
The record-breaking attendance at Churchill Downs for the 151st Kentucky Derby reached an impressive 147,406 spectators, further solidifying the event’s status as a premier horse racing spectacle.