Sovereignty did not disappoint bettors who made him a 1-4 favorite Saturday for the Grade 1, US$1.25 million Travers Stakes.
After settling a close third up the backstretch, Sovereignty took the lead just after the second turn and ran on to a 10-length triumph in the 1 1/4-mile mid-summer derby for five 3-year-olds at Saratoga.
It was the first Travers win for both Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and jockey Júnior Alvarado. A Godolphin homebred colt by Into Mischief, Sovereignty became the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Jim Dandy (G1) and Travers.
Magnitude (7-2) set the early pace, and Bracket Buster (17-1) was a stalking second through the early fractions of 23.47, 47.43 and 1:11.23. It was at the half-mile pole where Alvarado accelerated Sovereignty. Bracket Buster took over the lead through a mile in 1:36.02, but that did not last long.
Powering down the middle of the homestretch, Sovereignty left the others in his dust as he powered to a final time of 2:00.84.
Bracket Buster came in second.
Magnitude finished third, McAfee (20-1) fourth and Strategic Focus (7-1) last.
