5 Facts

1. Jockey Kent Desormeaux is a 3 time KY Derby winner (Big Brown, Fusaichi Pegasus, and Real Quiet).
2. Keith Desormeaux is the trainer and brother of jockey, Kent..
3. Keith trainer the 2016 Preakness winner, Exaggerator.
4. One of 3 horses in the Derby that is owned by the legendary Calumet Farm.
5. Sonneteer is the second foal produced by Ours, an unraced half-sister to 2009 G1 Hopeful winner, Dublin.

Horse Bio

Sonneteer hasn’t won in ten starts to date, but his last two races – a runner-up finish in the Rebel Stakes (G2) and a very close fourth-place finish in the Arkansas Derby (G2) – show promise. He crossed the finish line two lengths behind the pack in the Arkansas Derby, but his speed had him battling for first until the end. He’s now on the cusp of earning a starting gate spot in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Trained by Keith Desormeaux, who prepared last year’s Preakness winner and Derby runner-up Exaggerator, Sonneteer had put up a number of decent efforts in maiden races without winning. He finished fourth in the California Derby, prior to being shipped to Oaklawn Park for the Rebel Stakes (G2). Starting at 112-1, he rallied from second-last to nose out Untrapped and Petrov for second behind Malagacy. The effort earned him 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

A Calumet Farm homebred, Sonneteer is by Midnight Lute, the only horse to have won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) twice. Many of his progeny have preferred sprint distances, though Midnight Aria did win the 1-1/4 mile Queens Plate in Canada. He is the second foal of Ours, who is by Half Ours out of the top-class sprinting mare Classy Mirage, herself a half-sister to another grade I winner, Missy’s Mirage.

Sonneteer’s pedigree doesn’t scream out 1-1/4 mile stamina. But his racing style to date – coming from well off the pace and doing his best work at the finish – suggests he may be better as distances increase.

Only people who took the “all others” options in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools to date will profit if Sonneteer wins. If he gets into the big race, he could well produce very good odds to those who think he could have Derby stamina.

2017 Derby and Oaks Workout Videos