Sonneteer reaffirms affinity for Oaklawn in Fifth Season upset

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Sonneteer might live in Southern California, but he has made himself at home at Oaklawn Park.

The horse pulled a 29-1 upset in the $125,000 Fifth Season on Friday, when he closed from next to last for a three-quarter length win over Futile. It was another three-quarters of a length back to Far Right in third. Last year, Sonneteer was 112-1 when, as a maiden, he finished second in the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn. He also ran a close fourth in the Arkansas Derby.

This year, Sonneteer made his first start at 4 one to remember. He came six wide into the stretch in the Fifth Season and ran down the leaders to capture the first stakes race of his career, and the first stakes of the meet that opened Friday.

“I’ve never had a horse that had such an affinity for one track,” trainer Keith Desormeaux said. “That was really amazing.”

Sonneteer ($61.60) lagged by the pace set by Dan the Go to Man, who was pressured by Futile through an opening quarter in 23.17 seconds and a half-mile in 47.14. Sonneteer advanced on the final turn under C.J. McMahon and went on to cover 1 1/16 miles on a track rated “good” in 1:45.60.

“We were hoping what we thought we knew – that being his affinity for the track – would be real,” said Desormeaux, who trains Sonneteer for Calumet Farm.

Desormeaux said he also was encouraged when he saw Untrapped was among the favorites for the Fifth Season as Sonneteer had finished in front of Untrapped in last year’s Rebel.

Desormeaux said Sonneteer would now return to Southern California. But, he said, the horse will most likely be back. Desormeaux said as long as Oaklawn’s running a meet, he would like Sonneteer to be running at Oaklawn. So, he said, that means the horse will now come under consideration for the Grade 3, $500,000 Razorback Handicap on Feb. 19.

“We’ll get him back home to California,” Desormeaux said. “We’ll get him back here with his favorite groom and his favorite stall…and then we’ll try to repeat the process.”

Sonneteer flew in Wednesday from California. He earned $75,000 for the win in the Fifth Season, his second career victory from 18 starts. He has now earned $426,050. Sonneteer is a son of Midnight Lute and he was bred in Kentucky by Calumet.

It was a sunny day with temperatures in the 30s for the meet opener. Racing resumes Saturday, with the first race week to continue through Monday with the running of the $150,000 Smarty Jones.

► Oaklawn handled $4,263,019 on its nine-race card from all sources Friday, its highest opening day handle since 2013.