Sonneteer targets Arkansas Derby

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Sonneteer, the Southern California-based maiden who crashed the Rebel Stakes exacta when he finished second in the Grade 2, $900,000 race at 112-1, is coming back to Oaklawn.

“All is on schedule to return for the Arkansas Derby,” trainer Keith Desormeaux said Friday.

Desormeaux said after the Rebel that he had a few options to discuss with Calumet Farm concerning Sonneteer, ranging from training up to the Kentucky Derby to targeting an additional prep in the Santa Anita Derby, the Blue Grass at Keeneland, or the Arkansas Derby.

The Arkansas Derby, a Grade 1, $1 million race at 1 1/8 miles, will be run April 15.

Sonneteer finished two lengths behind winner Malagacy in the Rebel after running well against eventual Grade 3 winners Royal Mo and Term of Art in the maiden ranks at Santa Anita.

Some of Sonneteer’s competition for the Arkansas Derby tuned up for the race Friday at Oaklawn.

Petrov, who was fourth in the Rebel after running second in both the Smarty Jones and Southwest stakes at Oaklawn, worked right after the track opened on a sunny, 50-degree morning. He went a half-mile on a fast track, with clockers timing him in 50.40 seconds, and galloped out five-eighths in 1:03.20.

“It was an easy maintenance breeze to keep him from floating off between now and the Arkansas Derby,” trainer Ron Moquett said.

Moquett said Ricardo Santana Jr. has the mount on Petrov.

Silver Dust, who was fifth in the Rebel, worked after the renovation break, going a half-mile in company in 48 seconds.

“I thought he went really well,” trainer Randy Morse said. “We let him stretch his legs. He went on by that other horse. He seems more focused than he has been in the past.”

Morse said Corey Lanerie has the mount in the Arkansas Derby. Lanerie was aboard for the Rebel as well as for the horse’s fourth-place finish in the Southwest and his impressive maiden win at Churchill Downs.