Sovereignty headlines of Oaklawn Handicap

Reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty headlines the list of early Oaklawn Handicap probables.

Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn Sunday for the Oaklawn Handicap, a $1.25 million Grade 2 event for older horses, along with two other stakes races April 18 at Oaklawn.

Other horses expected to be entered in the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap include millionaire Grade 1 winner White Abarrio for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., and Grade 3 winner Liberal Arts for trainer Heather Irion. A handful of other horses are under consideration for the Oaklawn Handicap, with the field projected between five and eight, the Oaklawn racing department said.

Sovereignty, who would be making his 4-year-old debut, won 5 of 6 starts last year for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and breeder/owner Godolphin, including two legs of the Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes). Sovereignty hasn’t started since a 10-length romp in the Travers Stakes (G1) at 1 ¼ miles Aug. 23 at Saratoga. He has never faced older horses.

Mott was Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1986. Godolphin won the Oaklawn Handicap in 2023 with Proxy and 2025 with First Mission.

Sovereignty, who is based in south Florida, would be the fourth reigning Horse of the Year to run at Oaklawn, following Favorite Trick, Azeri and Thorpedo Anna.

Favorite Trick, Mott’s 1997 Horse of the Year, suffered his first career loss in the 1998 Arkansas Derby (G2). Azeri was the 2002 Horse of the Year. A three-time Apple Blossom (G1) winner (2002, 2003 and 2004), Azeri was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2010. Thorpedo Anna was the 2024 Horse of the Year. She won the 2025 Azeri Stakes (G2) and Apple Blossom enroute to an Eclipse Award as North America’s champion older dirt female.

Entries will also be accepted and post positions drawn Sunday for the $200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles and the $200,000 Valley of the Vapors Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at one mile.