John Cherwa is a special contributor to the Los Angeles Times. He started at The Times in 1980 and left in 1995 to be sports editor of the Chicago Tribune and Tribune Co. sports coordinator in 2002. He rejoined The Times in 2009 and left his post as deputy sports editor late in 2017. Currently, his major coverage area is horse racing, where he can be found at big races at Santa Anita, the Triple Crown series and Breeders’ Cup. He also can be found at the Olympics, having just finished the Tokyo and Beijing double, marking his 11th Olympics. Cherwa also contributes general interest stories from Florida.
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There will be no Triple Crown winner this year after Soverignty’s trainer, Bill Mott, told Preakness Stakes officials he will not run at Pimlico Race Course.
Sovereignty follows pre-race favorite Journalism to the front before passing him down the final stretch to win the 2025 Kentucky Derby in muddy conditions.
Sovereignty beats pre-race favorite Journalism to win the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby in muddy conditions at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
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With his ban from Churchill Downs-owned tracks behind him, horse racing’s most famous trainer, Bob Baffert, knows this week is “all about the horses.”
Baeza failed to make the initial Kentucky Derby field, but trainer John Shirreffs hopes his horse will find a way into the race and showcase his potential.
Bob Baffert is back at the Kentucky Derby, and he has two of the race favorites. But can they beat favorite Journalism in horse racing’s crown jewel?