Sovereignty

Connections

Owner: Godolphin
Breeders: Godolphin
Trainer: William Mott
Jockey: Manuel Franco

Sovereignty: 2025 Kentucky Derby Contender Profile

Sovereignty heads into the 2025 Kentucky Derby with a strong record, including wins in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) on March 1, 2025, at Gulfstream Park (1:43.08 over 1 1/16 miles) and the Street Sense Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. He also placed 2nd in the Florida Derby (G1), finishing just behind Tappan Street in 1:49.16. With a pedigree featuring Harlan’s Holiday, Bernardini, and Empire Maker, Sovereignty blends speed and stamina, making him a top contender for the Run for the Roses on May 3, 2025, at Churchill Downs.

Pedigree

Sovereignty
├── Sire: Into Mischief
│   ├── Sire: Harlan’s Holiday
│   └── Dam: Leslie’s Lady (by Tricky Creek)
└── Dam: Crowned
    ├── Sire: Bernardini
    └── Dam: Mushka (by Empire Maker)

Race Record

1st Generation Pedigree

• Sire: Into Mischief
  Into Mischief, a leading sire by Harlan’s Holiday, has sired multiple Kentucky Derby winners, including Authentic (2020) and Mandaloun (2021), as well as Tappan Street, another contender we analyzed. He stands at Spendthrift Farm for $250,000 in 2025 and is known for producing runners with speed and versatility.
• Dam: Crowned
  Crowned, by Bernardini, is a winning mare who has produced Sovereignty as her standout foal from four foals of racing age. Her female family, through her dam Mushka, includes stakes winners, adding quality to Sovereignty’s pedigree.

2nd Generation Pedigree

• Into Mischief’s Parents (Sovereignty’s Paternal Grandparents)
  Into Mischief’s sire is Harlan’s Holiday, as you confirmed, a successful stallion by Harlan who sired winners like Shanghai Bobby (2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile). Harlan’s Holiday’s progeny often show early speed and some distance ability. Into Mischief’s dam is Leslie’s Lady, by Tricky Creek, a broodmare of the year who also produced Beholder and Mendelssohn. This paternal line provides Sovereignty with speed and class, as we’ve seen with Into Mischief runners like Tappan Street and Rodriguez.
• Crowned’s Parents (Sovereignty’s Maternal Grandparents)
  Crowned’s sire is Bernardini, a 2006 Preakness Stakes winner by A.P. Indy, known for producing stamina-oriented runners like Catholic Boy (2018 Travers Stakes winner). Bernardini also appears in Journalism’s pedigree as the sire of Peppy Rafaela, and his influence adds classic potential. Crowned’s dam is Mushka, by Empire Maker, a Grade 1 winner who took the 2009 Spinster Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Polytrack and earned over $1 million. Empire Maker, also a Belmont Stakes winner (2003), adds further stamina to this maternal line.

Additional Notes on Sovereignty’s Pedigree

• Paternal Line (Into Mischief): Harlan’s Holiday provides speed and precocity, while Leslie’s Lady’s exceptional broodmare record adds class. Into Mischief’s success with Derby winners like Authentic and Mandaloun, as well as Tappan Street’s Florida Derby win, suggests Sovereignty has the genetic makeup for classic distances, as seen in his 1:49.16 second-place finish in the Florida Derby.
• Maternal Line (Crowned): Bernardini, also in Journalism’s lineage, brings stamina and classic potential, as does Mushka’s sire, Empire Maker, a Belmont Stakes winner whose progeny often excel at 1 1/4 miles and beyond. Mushka’s own Grade 1 win at 1 1/8 miles supports Sovereignty’s ability to stretch out, though his late rally in the Florida Derby indicates he might prefer a fast pace to close into.
• Pedigree Fit for the Derby: Sovereignty’s pedigree is well-suited for the 1 1/4-mile Derby. Into Mischief’s speed pairs with Bernardini and Empire Maker’s stamina, giving him a balanced profile. However, Into Mischief runners can sometimes fade late if the pace is too fast, a concern we’ve noted with speed-oriented horses like Rodriguez. Sovereignty’s closing style, seen in his Florida Derby run, mitigates this risk, but he’ll need a clean trip to maximize his late kick.