Honestly, if you had asked any "expert" last April who would be wearing the blanket of roses, the name Sovereignty wasn't exactly at the top of every list. He was there, sure. But he wasn't the "it" horse. That title belonged to Journalism, the heavy favorite who had everyone convinced he was the second coming of American Pharoah.
But horse racing doesn't care about your spreadsheets.
The list of kentucky derby horses 2025 was a weird mix of blue-blooded Godolphin runners, scrappy longshots from smaller barns, and some international mystery horses from Japan. On May 3, 2025, a sloppy, muddy track at Churchill Downs turned the 151st Kentucky Derby into a survival of the fittest.
The Official Finish: Who Actually Ran in 2025?
It was a field of 19 after a couple of heartbreaking late scratches. Seeing Rodriguez and Grande get pulled before the gates opened really changed the dynamic of the early pace. Here is how the dust—or rather, the mud—settled when they crossed the wire:
- Sovereignty (Bill Mott / Junior Alvarado) - The Winner
- Journalism (Michael McCarthy / Umberto Rispoli)
- Baeza (John Shirreffs / Flavien Prat)
- Final Gambit (Brad Cox / Luan Machado)
- Owen Almighty (Brian Lynch / Javier Castellano)
The rest of the field followed in a string of tired, mud-caked athletes: Burnham Square, Sandman, East Avenue, Chunk of Gold, Tiztastic, Coal Battle, Luxor Cafe, Neoequos, Publisher, Citizen Bull, American Promise, Render Judgment, Flying Mohawk, and finally the Japanese contender Admire Daytona.
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Why Sovereignty Fooled Us All
Sovereignty entered the gate at 7-1 odds. Not a "total" longshot like Rich Strike was in 2022, but definitely playing second fiddle to Journalism’s 3-1 hype. Trainer Bill Mott—who famously won in 2019 with Country House via disqualification—finally got to celebrate a horse crossing the wire first.
Basically, the race was a tactical masterpiece by Junior Alvarado. While Citizen Bull was out front burning oxygen with some aggressive fractions (:22.81 for the first quarter), Alvarado kept Sovereignty tucked away in 16th place.
It looked like he was out of it.
But then the far turn happened. Journalism made his move, looking every bit like the favorite. He tackled the tiring leaders, but Sovereignty was already winding up on the outside. They dueled for a heartbeat in the stretch before Sovereignty just... left him. He won by 1.5 lengths.
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The Horses That Almost Wore the Roses
You can't talk about the list of kentucky derby horses 2025 without mentioning the "what ifs."
Journalism was the heartbreaker. He did everything right. He saved ground, he pounced when he was supposed to, but he just couldn't hold off the closer. Then you had Baeza, who started from the far outside post (21, though he moved in due to scratches). Prat somehow navigated that wide trip to finish third. If he'd drawn an inside post? Maybe we’re talking about a different winner.
Citizen Bull, the Bob Baffert trainee, was the rabbit. He set the pace until he hit the "wall" at the top of the stretch and faded to 15th. It’s a classic Derby story: speed is great until you have to go a mile and a quarter in the mud.
Looking Back: What Most People Got Wrong
Most bettors focused on the "Road to the Derby" points leader, Burnham Square, who had 130 points. He ended up 6th. Points don't always equal performance on the first Saturday in May. The conditions were "sloppy," and some horses just hated the kickback.
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Sovereignty had already proven he liked a battle, coming off a win in the Fountain of Youth. He had the "stamina" pedigree that people overlooked in favor of the flashier speed figures of the California horses.
Practical Takeaways for the Next Season
If you're looking at current contenders for the next cycle or just reflecting on the 2025 season, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Closers: In the modern Derby, high-speed leaders like Citizen Bull rarely hang on. Look for horses like Sovereignty who can "switch off" early and save energy.
- Track Conditions Matter: A "fast" track and a "sloppy" track are two different sports. Always check if a horse has a "wet" pedigree or previous experience in the mud.
- Trainer Consistency: Bill Mott doesn't over-race his horses. Sovereignty arrived at Churchill Downs fresh.
- Don't Obsess Over Points: The horse with the most points rarely wins. Use points to see who is durable, but use race film to see who is fast.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve for the upcoming 2026 season, your best bet is to start tracking the prep races like the Holy Bull and the Risen Star. The "Derby Trail" starts much earlier than people think. Watch the replays of the 2025 race specifically to see how the surface affected the trailing horses—it’s a masterclass in why position matters.
The 2025 list of horses was a reminder that in horse racing, the pedigree on the paper is just a suggestion. The real story is written in the dirt.
Actionable Next Steps:
To deepen your understanding of these athletes, go to Equibase and look up the "Charts" for the 2025 Kentucky Derby. Specifically, look at the "Short Comment" section for horses like Baeza and Final Gambit. It will show you exactly where they encountered trouble, which is the best way to identify "hidden" talent that might perform better in their next outing or as they transition to older horse stakes like the Clark or the Pegasus World Cup.