If you were looking at the track on May 3, 2025, you probably thought it was a lake. It wasn’t. It was just a very, very wet Churchill Downs. Honestly, when you watch the video of Kentucky Derby 2025, the first thing that hits you isn't even the horses. It’s the brown, soupy mess of a "sloppy" track that looked like it would swallow the field whole.
Sovereignty won.
He didn't just win; he hunted down the favorite, Journalism, in a stretch duel that had 147,000 people screaming through the rain. If you've seen the replay, you know that moment at the top of the stretch where it looks like Journalism might just skip away. Then, out of the muck, comes this royal blue blur.
The Replay: Why Sovereignty Was Different
Most Derby videos show a lot of "traffic" problems. 20 horses is a lot of legs. In the 2025 footage, you can see Junior Alvarado—who finally got his first Derby win—playing it super cool. Sovereignty broke from post 18. That’s usually a death sentence. But Alvarado didn't panic when the horse "bobbled" at the start.
You've gotta watch the overhead cam to really appreciate it.
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While Citizen Bull and Neoequos were burning themselves out on the front end with a :46.23 half-mile, Sovereignty was chillin' in 16th place. He was nearly 14 lengths back. Most people watching live probably counted him out by the backstretch. But then, the video shows the move. He starts picking off horses like he's on a Sunday stroll.
Breaking Down the Final Furlong
When they turn for home, it’s a two-horse race. Journalism, the 3-1 favorite, is digging in. Sovereignty is on his outside. For about ten seconds, they are nose-to-nose. It’s some of the most intense racing footage we’ve seen in years, mostly because you can see the jockeys' goggles are completely caked in mud.
- Final Time: 2:02.31
- Winner’s Payout: $17.96 on a $2 bet
- The Margin: 1.5 lengths
It’s kinda wild that Bill Mott won another one this way. Remember 2019? Country House won because of a DQ. This time, there was no drama with the stewards. It was just raw power.
What the Cameras Missed (The "Baeza" Factor)
If you only watch the highlight reel of the winner, you miss the craziest part of the video of Kentucky Derby 2025. Look at Baeza. This horse wasn't even supposed to be in the race! He drew in from the "also-eligible" list.
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The replay shows him closing from 15th to grab third place. He nearly caught Journalism for second. If the race was 100 yards longer, we might be talking about a massive upset from a horse that was basically a backup.
And then there’s the tragedy of the lower-tier finishes.
Burnham Square, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., looked like he was going to make a run until Admire Daytona basically hit a wall and "fell down into the fence" on top of him. You can see the momentum die in the video right at the second turn. That’s the Derby for you. One bad step and your dreams are literally in the dirt.
Why This Race Still Matters a Year Later
People keep searching for the full race replay because it was a "changing of the guard" moment. Godolphin, the massive racing stable owned by Sheikh Mohammed, had been trying to win this race for 26 years.
They finally did it.
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And they did it the day after winning the Kentucky Oaks with Good Cheer. That’s a "sweep" that hasn't happened in decades. Watching the post-race video, you can see the relief on Bill Mott’s face. He’s a Hall of Famer, but this one felt "proper" compared to the 2019 mess.
Actionable Insights for Racing Fans
If you're going back to watch the tape or preparing for the next Derby, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the "trip," not just the winner. Pay attention to horses like Final Gambit (who finished 4th after being dead last). He’s the type of horse that wins the next race because his Derby video shows he was full of run but ran out of track.
- Study the track conditions. Sovereignty is an "Into Mischief" son. Those horses generally love the mud. If the 2026 Derby is wet, go back and watch the 2025 video to see how the winners handled the footing.
- The "Post 18" Myth is dead. We used to think the outside was a curse. Sovereignty proved that with the right jockey, you can win from anywhere.
To see the full drama, search for the official NBC Sports YouTube upload titled "2025 Kentucky Derby Full Race Replay." It’s about 10 minutes long and includes the walkover and the garland ceremony. Watching the mud fly in 4K really puts into perspective how difficult it is for these athletes to see, let alone run 40 miles per hour.
Check the Equibase charts alongside the video to see the "hidden" moves horses made in the backstretch before they faded.