SONNETEER LOOKS TO STEP UP IN RAZORBACK HANDICAP

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018) – Calumet Farm’s Sonneteer attempts to win consecutive races for the first time in his career in the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses Monday at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the 1 1/16-mile Razorback, which goes as the eighth of 10 races, is 4:35 p.m. (Central.) Doors open Monday at 11 a.m., with first post 1:05 p.m.

The well-traveled Sonneteer, who is based in Southern California, is coming off a three-quarter length victory in the $125,000 Fifth Season Stakes Jan. 12, Oaklawn first of four major two-turn races for older horses. He also ran twice at the 2017 Oaklawn meeting as a maiden, finishing second in the $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) and fourth in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1). Sonneteer was beaten only two lengths in both major Kentucky Derby prep races.

Sonneteer, who finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby, needed 13 starts to break his maiden and snapped a four-race losing streak in the Fifth Season.

“If I would have known earlier that he had such an extreme affinity for Oaklawn, I wouldn’t have run him elsewhere so often,” trainer Keith Desormeaux said. “I would have just waited for Oaklawn. With his record there, you would think that consistency would continue.”

Sonneteer is the tepid 4-1 program favorite for the Razorback, which drew a field of 11.

The Razorback field from the rail out: Untrapped, Ricardo Santana Jr. to ride, 117 pounds, 9-2 on the morning line; Far Right, Gary Stevens, 114, 12-1; Hawaakom, Corey Lanerie, 114, 10-1; J Boys Echo, Robby Albarado, 114, 5-1; Leofric, Luis Saez, 113, 9-2; Sonneteer, Kent Desormeaux, 116, 4-1; Shotgun Kowboy, Luis Quinonez, 115, 12-1; Rated R Superstar, Channing Hill, 114, 12-1; Rocking the Boat, Fernando De La Cruz, 112, 20-1; Futile, Luis Contreras, 115, 6-1; and The Lieutenant, Drayden Van Dyke, 112, 15-1.

Sonneteer broke from post 10 in the Fifth Season, but Keith Desormeaux said post position is irrelevant because the Midnight Lute colt typically comes from well off the pace.

“His style, it doesn’t matter, 1 through 12, who cares?” Desormeaux said. “He drops back and makes one run, so I don’t think the post is of any consequence.”

Untrapped adds blinkers after finishing fourth, beaten 2 ½ lengths, in the Fifth Season for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Untrapped ran third in the Rebel and sixth in the Arkansas Derby before winning the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby (G3) Sept. 24 at Remington Park. Oklahoma Derby runner-up Battle of Midway returned to win the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 3 at Del Mar

Untrapped closed his 2017 campaign with a runner-up finish in the $200,000 Zia Park Derby Nov. 22 at Zia Park.

“I thought he dropped the bridle in his last couple of races, in the middle of it,” Asmussen said. “We need to get him back to the race that beat Battle of Midway.”

Futile has finished second in his last three races for 2015 Oaklawn training champion Chris Hartman, including the Fifth Season, after being claimed for $32,000 Nov. 9 at Churchill Downs.

“I think it’s going to set up just perfect for him,” Hartman said, referring to Futile’s ability to stalk. “Being on the outside is not a bad thing, either. We’re in good position.”

Millionaire and multiple stakes winner Shotgun Kowboy exits a powerful front-running five-length victory in a Feb. 3 allowance race for breeder/owner/trainer C.R. Trout.

Shotgun Kowboy finished seventh in the Fifth Season, beaten 4 ¾ lengths, and was a two-time allowance winner at the 2017 Oaklawn meeting.

“We’ll just let him run his race,” Trout said. “We’ll see what the others want to do. They brought a bunch of lightweights in, at 112 and 114 (pounds). Everybody’s thinking they might get a part of it, which I did, too. Definitely, Steve’s horse is the one to outrun. He’s a nice colt.”

Leofric (4 for 4 at Oaklawn) will be making his local stakes debut for leading trainer Brad Cox. Hawaakom was a distant runner-up to eventual Horse of the Year Gun Runner in last year’s Razorback for co-owner/trainer Wes Hawley. Multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Far Right was third in this year’s Fifth Season for trainer Wayne Catalano.

Cover Photo: Sonneteer; Oaklawn/Coady Photography