A day after nominations were released for the much-anticipated GI Stephen Foster Stakes, to be held June 27 at Churchill Downs, prime contender and reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty (Into Mischief) worked at Saratoga Sunday, breezing five furlongs in 1:02.61 in company under regular work rider Neil Poznansky. After splits of :25.25 for the first quarter and :37.24 for the three-eighths, Sovereignty galloped out six furlongs in 1:17.38. The Godolphin homebred and Bill Mott trainee is scheduled to work one more time before the $2-million highlight of early summer.
Among those expected to join Sovereignty in the starting gate for the Stephen Foster, a 'Win and You're In' event featuring a berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, are G1 Dubai World Cup winner Magnitude (Not This Time); 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day), who beat Sovereignty in the Apr. 18 GII Oaklawn Handicap; and Sovereignty's stablemate and last year's GI Pennsylvania Derby winner Baeza (McKinzie).
The Stephen Foster will mark the first time Sovereignty has raced at Churchill since he won the 2025 GI Kentucky Derby.
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