Every year, horse racing fans and casual viewers tune into the Kentucky Derby to see if the winner will clinch the Triple Crown. Sovereignty won the 2025 Kentucky Derby after defeating the favorite, Journalism, in the final stretch of the race. With that, fans are looking to the Preakness Stakes on May 17, which is the second leg of the Triple Crown.
But 2025 will be yet another year in which the Kentucky Derby winner won't go for the Triple Crown. According to the company that runs Pimlico Race Course, Sovereignty is skipping the Preakness Stakes.
Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty is skipping the Preakness, according to a release from the company that runs Pimlico Race Course and the Preakness. Horse racing is the king of self-inflicted wounds.
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) May 6, 2025
“We received a call today from trainer Bill Mott that Sovereignty will not be competing in the Preakness,” said Mike Rogers, executive VP of 1/ST Racing, which operates the Preakness, h/t AP News. “We extend our congratulations to the connections of Sovereignty and respect their decision.”
Sovereignty skipping Preakness Stakes, passing on chance at Triple Crown
It will be something to see how much interest there will be in the Preakness Stakes now that the Kentucky Derby winner won't participate. The chase of the Triple Crown is appointment television.
Although Sovereignty will skip the Preakness Stakes, the horse will compete in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 7.
The last time that the Kentucky Derby winner passed on running the Preakness Stakes was in 2022 when Rich Strike sat out of the race. The previous two winners of the Kentucky Derby, Mage (2023) and Mystik Dan (2024) both ran the Preakness Stakes, but both failed to win the race.
The Triple Crown is an award in which the horse wins the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. Only 13 horses have ever won the Triple Crown. The last horse to do so was back in 2018 when Justify won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.