Photo finish not needed for muddy Kentucky Derby race

Kentucky Derby fans turn out despite rainy conditions

Kentucky Derby fans turn out despite rainy conditions in Churchill Downs. FOX Business Correspondent Lydia Hu reports live from Louisville, providing the latest updates regarding President Donald Trump's take on the race and the latest on the return of horse trainer Bob Baffert.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sovereignty surged ahead of a tightly contested pack in the final moments of the 151st Kentucky Derby, edging out favored Journalism on a rain-soaked Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Guided by jockey Junior Alvarado and trained by Bill Mott, the 3-year-old colt beat Journalism - the 3-1 favorite – to win the Run for the Roses.

Sovereignty crossed the finish line with a winning time of 2:02.31, putting the horse on the path for the Triple Crown.

Nearly 148,000 spectators packed Churchill Downs despite persistent rain, with ponchos being the fashion accessory of the day in Louisville.

LOUISVILLE LAUNCHES MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR FLOOD CLEANUP EFFORT AHEAD OF KENTUCKY DERBY

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MAY 03: Citizen Bull #1, ridden by jockey Martin Garcia leads Neoequos #2, ridden by jockey Luis Saez and Final Gambit #3, ridden by jockey Luan Machado around turn one during the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 03, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The track’s sloppy conditions didn’t appear to alter the leaderboard significantly, with it being the first time since 2019 that rain has been a significant factor.

According to the National Weather Service office in Louisville, precipitation has impacted nearly half of all Derby Days, frequently turning the Churchill Downs track into a muddy test of endurance. 

Louisville’s official observation site reported over a third of an inch of rain before post time, during what has been an extremely wet spring in the Ohio Valley.

Though the Kentucky Derby has never been canceled due to weather, it has been postponed - most notably in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and during World War II in the 1940s.

HOW WEATHER PLAYS A ROLE IN THE KENTUCKY DERBY

With the Derby victory, Sovereignty becomes the only horse eligible to claim the Triple Crown, but the colt will likely face another competitive challenge by Journalism in just two weeks.

The next leg of the Triple Crown series will take place at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course for the Preakness Stakes, followed by the Belmont Stakes in New York in early June. 

The last time the Triple Crown was won was in 2018 by the famed horse named "Justify." 

Only 13 horses have won the series since its start in 1875, with many falling short at the Belmont Stakes due to its longer track.