Sonneteer trying something new in Champions Day Marathon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Some people may have scoffed when Keith Desormeaux brought a longshot maiden named Sonneteer to the Kentucky Derby two years ago, but the trainer is getting the last laugh. The 5-year-old horse is back at Churchill Downs with career earnings of $513,166, a figure that helps to all but erase the memory of his 16th-place Derby finish while also vindicating Desormeaux’s long-standing confidence.

“You don’t make a half-million if you’re not some kind of decent horse,” said Desormeaux. “A top horse? Oh, I don’t know. He’s been a solid campaigner, let’s put it that way.”

On a Tuesday afternoon when Churchill will celebrate past Derby and Triple Crown winners through its Champions Day promotion, Sonneteer is the lone Derby alumni in the featured seventh of nine races, the $115,000 Champions Day Marathon. He’s one of six older horses and a top contender in the inaugural running of the 1 1/2-mile race over the main track.

“He’s never done this mile and a half before, but it seems like it’ll be right up his alley,” said Desormeaux. “You’d think that a horse by Midnight Lute out of a Half Ours mare wouldn’t scream ‘marathon,’ but he keeps coming. I think he’ll like the extra distance.”

Sonneteer, a Calumet Farm homebred in off respectable efforts in three straight stakes, will have Corey Lanerie aboard when he tries to negotiate the three-turn distance of a race that figures to have Lookin for Eight and Krewe Chief as the other favorites.

Lookin for Eight, with Jose Ortiz riding for trainerMark Casse, has won two of his last three starts, including his 5-year-old debut last month at 17-1 in an Oaklawn Park allowance at 1 1/16 miles.

Krewe Chief is the only horse in the field with racing experience at this distance, having finished second in a recent turf allowance at Keeneland going 12 furlongs. The 6-year-old gelding will have Tyler Gaffalione aboard for trainer Mike Maker.

The balance of the Marathon lineup is Biblical, Pinson, and Royal Artillery.

First post for the rare Tuesday card is 12:45 p.m. Eastern, which will be a standard post for much of this meet. First post for Oaks and Derby Days is 10:30 a.m.

The Tuesday card also includes a $106,000 turf allowance for fillies and mares (race 8) and a $103,000 allowance (race 5) for filly-mare sprinters. Purses throughout Derby week have been boosted, and they’ll still be well above previous levels even in the weeks after the Derby, owing to a major increase announced earlier this year.