**Sovereignty Triumphs Over Journalism in Thrilling 2025 Belmont Stakes**

In a stunning display at the 2025 Belmont Stakes, Sovereignty confirmed its dominance, edging out race favorite Journalism to clinch victory in the Triple Crown's final leg. This latest win solidifies Sovereignty's prowess, having already seized triumph at the Kentucky Derby.

Sovereignty masterfully surged through the field in the second half of the race, securing a win by multiple lengths. This stellar performance garnered the horse's owners an impressive $1.2 million slice of the $2 million purse. Following closely, Journalism claimed $360,000 for second place, while third-place finisher Baeza earned $200,000. Remarkably, these three horses finished in the same order as in the Kentucky Derby the previous month.

This victory marks a historic moment, as it is the first occasion since Justified's Triple Crown sweep in 2018 that a single horse has won two out of the three premier races. Notably, Sovereignty's absence from the Preakness Stakes, which Journalism had thrillingly won, set the stage for this dramatic rematch at Saratoga Race Course. This venue stepped in as a substitute for the under-renovation Belmont Park.

Trainer Bill Mott's strategic decision to skip the Preakness and give Sovereignty more preparation time for the Belmont appeared to pay off significantly. While it remains uncertain how Sovereignty might have fared at the Preakness, his dominant performance at Belmont has already entered the annals of horse racing history. Sovereignty now stands distinguished as the first Kentucky Derby winner to also claim the Belmont Stakes without competing in the Preakness.

The race itself saw an early lead taken by longshots Rodriguez, Uncaged, and Crudo, before Journalism emerged to the front from the outside halfway through. Nevertheless, Sovereignty's superior speed in the final stretch secured the decisive victory, cementing his standing among elite 3-year-olds.