why is sovereignty not running in the preakness

Sovereignty is not running in the 2025 Preakness Stakes because his trainer, Bill Mott, decided to skip the race to prioritize the horse's well-being and focus on the Belmont Stakes instead. Mott and the horse's connections determined that this was the best course of action after evaluating Sovereignty's condition following his effortful Kentucky Derby win, including a minor scrape on his front pastern. This decision ends any chance for a Triple Crown champion in 2025 and reflects a trend where trainers opt out of the demanding Preakness to preserve the horse's health for longer-term success. The decision was respected by officials and is driven by a careful consideration of the horse's physical toll and recovery needs rather than public or fan expectations.