Sovereignty Into Mischief wins Travers by 10 lengths at Saratoga

Sovereignty Into Mischief proved why he has been the season’s standout 3-year-old, dominating the 156th Travers Stakes at Saratoga by a widening 10 lengths in a race that drew a compact five-horse field. The Godolphin homebred, trained by Bill Mott and piloted by Junior Alvarado, secured his third straight major victory this year after the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, and his fourth win overall in five starts this season. The Travers also marked Mott’s first triumph in the midsummer classic, a milestone many had awaited for decades, and cemented Sovereignty’s status as a premier force in the division as the year heads toward the Breeders’ Cup.

From the break, Magnitude set a swift tempo, with Bracket Buster tracking and the field bunched behind him. As the race unfolded, Sovereignty lurked off the pace, saving ground and waiting for his cue. Turning for home, Alvarado pressed the throttle, and Sovereignty responded with a sustained, decisive surge that left the others reeling. Bracket Buster held on for second, Magnitude finished third, with McAfee and Strategic Focus rounding out the order of finish. The final time over the 1 1/4 miles was 2:00.84, and the Saratoga crowd...