Mott Duo of Sovereignty, Baeza Continues Stephen Foster Preparations
At 0h02, on June 26, 2026 • By Churchill Downs
Godolphin’s reigning Horse of the Year and Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Sovereignty and C R K Stable and Grandview Equine’s Grade I winner Baeza continued their preparations for Saturday’s $2 million Stephen Foster (GI) by galloping Thursday at Churchill Downs before schooling together in the paddock.
Sovereignty, the 6-5 morning-line favorite, will make his first start beneath the Twin Spires since capturing last year’s Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve. The son of Into Mischief enters the Stephen Foster off a runner-up finish to White Abarrio in the Oaklawn Handicap (GII), his first start of the season.
“He came out of Oaklawn in great shape,” Mott said. “He trained here at Churchill for a couple of weeks afterward and then went to Saratoga. That race turned into a good one with White Abarrio, Sovereignty and Journalism all in it. We weren’t anticipating being on the lead, but he ran a very good race, got a lot out of it and has trained well since. We’ve had a couple of good works into this race, and hopefully we’re ready to get the better of (White Abarrio) Saturday.”
Sovereignty has compiled a record of 10-6-3-0 with earnings of $6,079,050. In addition to last year’s Kentucky Derby, he won the Belmont Stakes (GI), Jim Dandy Stakes (GII) and Travers Stakes (GI) en route to Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Male honors.
Baeza, who joined Mott’s barn following last year’s Pennsylvania Derby (GI) and the unexpected passing of his former trainer John Shirreffs, will make his second start for the Hall of Fame conditioner after finishing a troubled third in the Alysheba Stakes (GII) on Kentucky Oaks Day, where he broke slowly.
“He does everything perfectly in the mornings,” Mott said. “Sometimes in the afternoon he can act up a little. He hasn’t always been the quickest horse away from the gate, so we’ve spent quite a bit of time schooling him and standing him in the gate in the mornings. We worked him from the gate in his last work. He doesn’t have to be a fast gate horse, but he does need to leave there cleanly because it takes him a little while to get into his stride. Once he does, he settles into a really nice rhythm.”
Baeza enters the Stephen Foster with a record of 10-2-3-3 and earnings of $1,717,200.
