The winner of the 2025 Kentucky Derby was Sovereignty. Sovereignty won the 151st Kentucky Derby in a rain-soaked race at Churchill Downs with a finishing time of 2:02.31. The horse closed at odds of 7-1 and edged out Journalism in a thrilling finish. Sovereignty's victory marked the first Kentucky Derby win for owner Godolphin and trainer Bill Mott's second Derby win. The horse earned $3.1 million of the $5 million purse

. Before the race, top contenders included Journalism (the favorite), Sovereignty, Sandman, Burnham Square, and Luxor Cafe, among others. Expert picks varied, but Sovereignty was consistently among the top choices by analysts such as Kevin Kilroy and Kaitlin Free

. The race outcome confirmed Sovereignty's strong potential and ability to win against a competitive field