The 2025 Derby was won by a true closer in Sovereignty, but the race had an influx of early pace courtesy of Bob Baffert’s Citizen Bull, who ran the opening quarter-mile in 22.81 seconds and the opening half-mile in 46.23 seconds. It was 1:10.78 for the first three-fourths of a mile.

Sovereignty won the 151 st Kentucky Derby Saturday at a sloppy Churchill Downs. At 9-1, fourth when the betting windows closed, the 3-year-old colt edged pre-race favorite Journalism. Jockey Junior Alvarado won his first Derby while owner Bill Mott notched his second.