No Triple Crown Shot as Derby Champ Skips Preakness Stakes

Sovereignty, the 2025 Kentucky Derby champion, will miss the Preakness Stakes, according to the people who hold him. The pronouncement issued only a couple of days following his triumph at Churchill Downs shows the alterations that are being made in the racing of the best thoroughbred racing during the Triple Crown period.

Instead of heading to Baltimore for the second leg of the series, Sovereignty horse will be pointed toward the Belmont Stakes in June. If the sector is to regain public trust and protect the welfare of its horses, it has to act immediately.

Whether by better safety measures, more rigorous horse monitoring, or stricter enforcement of current rules, the sector has to directly respond to these issues. That contrasts with the previous era, when the Derby champion almost always ran in the second leg. Between 1986 and 2018, it happened only once due to injury. Since then, multiple horses have sat out, including Rich Strike in 2022 and Country House in 2019, the latter due to illness after being elevated to first place following a disqualification.

Sovereignty horse’s camp cited the short recovery period between the Derby and Preakness Stakes as the main reason behind the decision. Trainer Marcus Levine noted that the horse came out of the race in good condition but that rest and a more spaced-out schedule better align with the colt’s long-term development.

Their choice mirrors a larger conversation about how much should be asked of three-year-old horses. Thoroughbred Racing three times in five weeks at high intensity, on different tracks and under varying conditions, places demands on young horses still early in their careers. In recent years, several trainers and owners have opted to space races out, aiming for more consistency and avoiding setbacks.

Though Sovereignty horse is in good health, Levine and the ownership group opted to prioritize what they felt was a more stable route leading up to Belmont Thoroughbred Racing. For them, the decision wasn’t about titles or traditions but about timing and conditions.

The absence of the Derby winner once again leaves the Preakness Stakes field without its most visible name. That affects how the race is received, both by longtime followers of the sport and those who tune in specifically when a Triple Crown chance is on the line. Without that possibility, attention can fade, even though the Preakness Stakes remains a high-level competition.

Still, several contenders from the Derby and fresh challengers are expected to enter the gate at Pimlico. While none of them carry the Sovereignty horse’s storyline, they will be aiming to establish their place in a season now defined by standalone achievements rather than a pursuit of all three trophies.

Preakness Stakes organizers are left to prepare for another year without the central draw of a Triple Crown possibility. Attendance, viewership, and media buzz often receive a lift when the Derby winner arrives with history on the line. With that option off the table, the event relies more on the quality of the race itself and the unpredictability that often shapes it.

Though there are mixed opinions about this newer approach to managing Triple Crown contenders, it’s clear that expectations have shifted. What was once almost automatic is now carefully considered. Owners and trainers appear more focused on each horse’s condition and goals rather than tradition.

Sovereignty horse’s team is expected to provide updates closer to the Belmont, where he will attempt to win a second Triple Crown leg. Whether that contributes to his recognition or is considered a neglected opportunity is something fans and analysts will continue to debate. For now, the tale of the 2025 Preakness Stakes will spread without the Derby winner, once again transferring the spotlight onto others inside the subject.