I’ve always prided myself on being someone capable of admitting when I was wrong. It’s really not all that hard, especially when the proof is right in front of you.

I predicted before this year’s Triple Crown that Journalism would sweep the three U.S. classic races. It felt like a bold prediction – one I’ve never made before – but with the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets now in the books, Sovereignty stands alone atop the 3-year-old division.

His dominant win in the Belmont Stakes June 7 puts him in commanding position to win the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male and the way he won the Belmont was visually, analytically, and tactically impressive.

Sovereignty a dominant Belmont Stakes winner. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Sovereignty surged past Preakness winner Journalism in the Belmont Stakes stretch and stormed to a three-length win. Say what you will about the extra rest or the decision by his connections to skip the race, but Sovereignty is right now the better racehorse. It’s not a debate.

What really struck me in the stretch – and in workouts leading up to the Belmont – was how different Sovereignty and Journalism look when running. Journalism has sort of an effortless glide while Sovereignty attacks and devours the ground. Sovereignty looked like an absolute powerhouse in the final quarter-mile of the Belmont Stakes under Junior Alvarado.

That brings me to the analytical component. Sovereignty completed his final three-eighths of a mile in :35.85 and his final quarter-mile in :23.69 in the Belmont Stakes, which are ridiculously fast fractions for a 1 ¼-mile dirt race, particularly on a drying out track labeled good. He’s always been an elite finisher, flashing terrific closing fractions in his win as a 2-year-old in the Street Sense Stakes and in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes March 1, and used his closing kick to complete the 1 ¼-mile Belmont in 2:00.69. He earned a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure and 106 Equibase Speed Figure, so he’s getting better with age and experience.

Tactically, Sovereignty also showed tremendous growth. After rallying from 16^th of 19 and more than 13 lengths off the pace in the Kentucky Derby, Sovereignty raced in fourth in the Belmont within three lengths of the leader. He showed a new dimension in the Belmont Stakes and the ability to settle closer to the front and still finish fast. Racehorses develop running styles and preferences and Sovereignty looked like a stone-cold closer entering the Belmont Stakes. The fact that he was able to adapt and excel in the Belmont Stakes is exciting.

Sovereignty became the first non-Triple Crown winner since Thunder Gulch in 1995 to sweep the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. I understand why there are some fans harboring a tinge of resentment that he was not given a chance to become the 14^th Triple Crown winner, but Sovereignty’s trainer, Bill Mott, and owner-breeder Godolphin did what they thought best for the horse. Agree or disagree, Sovereignty had no say in the decision. He runs when they put a saddle on him, and Sovereignty ran a pair of monster races in the Derby and Belmont to separate himself from his peers.