6/8/25 - Sovereignty Takes Belmont; La Cara Dominates in Acorn

As with the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1), rain storms drenched the track at Saratoga the day and night before the Belmont Stakes (G1). Drizzle and gray overcast skies threatened more rain as racing started and caused the delay of two major turf events to Sunday. But by post time for the Belmont at Saratoga on June 7, the hard-working track crew had the dirt oval in good condition.

At the start, Preakness winner Journalism stumbled slightly but regained his footing in a couple strides to track the solid pace from the outside. Derby winner SOVEREIGNTY (Into Mischief) saved ground on the inside. The two raced well just behind the leaders for the first six furlongs. Asked to make his move, Journalism surged around the final turn and had the lead at the top of the stretch. But, as he had done in Derby, Sovereignty was shadowing Journalism. As they straightened up for the stretch run, Journalism was in front but the Derby winner was not far behind. Sovereignty steadily gained on Journalism with every stride and the two were about even at the eighth pole. With the finish line in sight, Sovereignty found another gear and pulled away to win the Spa-shortened Belmont by three lengths. Following Journalism under the wire, 3 1/2 lengths back in third, was Baeza. The final time for the 1 1/4-mile test was 2:00 3/5 over the good track.

The top three all boast Seattle Slew blood and are well familiar with each other now. Sovereignty, who did not race in the Preakness, claimed two legs of the Triple Crown. Journalism was the only horse in the Belmont to have competed in all three legs, winning the Preakness and finishing second in the Derby and Belmont. Baeza also skipped the Preakness and finished third in both the Derby and Belmont.

Both Sovereignty and Journalism descend from Slew on their dam's side. Sovereignty is out of the Bernardini (A.P. Indy) mare Crowned, whose third dam is Grade 1 winner Lakeway (Seattle Slew). Journalism's second dam is Peppy Rafaela (Bernardini). Baeza gets his Slew blood from his sire McKinzie, whose second dam is by multiple graded stakes winner Houston (Seattle Slew).

The Slew Crew congratulates Sovereignty and his connections on a great race. We also congratulate Journalism and Baeza for their performances. This trio showed the racing world what greatness and heart look like over the last five weeks, and we look forward to watching these top three-year-olds continue to compete this year.

The day before the Belmont, the fillies took to a sloppy and sealed Saratoga track for the Acorn Stakes (G1). La Cara (Street Sense) broke sharply and never looked back as she sped through the slop, wining the 1 1/8-mile event by three lengths over Look Forward. Scottish Lassie finished a neck back in third while Bless the Broken was next under the wire in fourth. All four fillies are Slew descendants.

La Cara is out of the Bernardini mare Cara Caterina. Look Forward is by Bolt d'Oro, who is out of an A.P. Indy mare. Scottish Lassie, like Baeza, is by McKinzie, and Bless the Broken is out of a Tapit (Pulpit) mare.

The Slew Crew congratulates La Cara and her connections and wishes them future successes.


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