The race marked a kind of replay of the Kentucky Derby. Sovereignty finished in first, Journalism ended up in second again and Baeza was third — the same 1-2-3 as the Derby.

Castellano, 47, whose father rode against Alvarado’s father when both were jockeys in Venezuela, is a four-time Eclipse Award winner as the top rider and has won four Triple Crown races. Velazquez, 54, has won the Eclipse Award twice and six Triple Crown races.

The 1.5-mile race will feature racehorses Sovereignty and Journalism, the winners of the 2025 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, respectively. Journalism had been the odds favorite (4-1) heading into the Derby, while Sovereignty entered the race at 9-1 odds, but Sovereignty gained the edge in the final moments on the muddy Churchill Downs track.

Sovereignty proved he's the best racehorse among this group of 3-year-olds, but at the same time, it feels like a bit of a missed opportunity.