J. Bert Sonnier

J. Bert Sonnier
J. Bert Sonnier
Occupation	Trainer
Born	October 1, 1938; Church Point, Louisiana
Career wins	1,531
Major racing wins
	Arkansas Derby (1968); Hawthorne Gold Cup (1968, 1969); El Encino Stakes (1969); Brooklyn Handicap (1969); Californian Stakes (1969); Santa Anita Handicap (1969); Metropolitan Handicap (1970); San Pasqual Handicap (1970); Vizcaya Stakes (1973); W. L. McKnight Handicap (1973, 1981); Poinsettia Handicap (1974); Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes ; (1979, 1982, 1985); Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (1979); Suwannee River Handicap (1979); Essex Handicap (1980); Equipoise Mile (1981); Pan American Handicap (1981); Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (1982); Sea o'Erin Stakes (1983); Golden Rod Stakes (1986); Iroquois Stakes (1986); First Lady Handicap (1988); Southwest Handicap (1989); Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (1989); Arlington Oaks (1992); Ashland Stakes (1993); Davona Dale Stakes (1993); Sixty Sails Handicap (1993); Broward Handicap (1995); Forerunner Stakes (1995); Skip Away Handicap (1995); Tampa Bay Derby (1995); Kenny Noe, Jr. Handicap (1997)
Racing awards
	Champion trainer at Arlington Park (1983,1985)
Significant horses
	Funistrada, Nodouble, Meadowlake,; Stage Door Betty

Last updated April 10, 2019

James Bert Sonnier (born October 1, 1938 in Church Point, Louisiana)^[1] is a retired trainer of thoroughbred racehorses. A Cajun, at age eight he began galloping horses and learned about competitive racing at area bush tracks.^[2]

Church Point is a town in Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,560 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Crowley Micropolitan Statistical Area.

A horse trainer is a person who tends to horses and teaches them different disciplines. Some of the responsibilities trainers have are caring for the animals’ physical needs, as well as teaching them submissive behaviors and/or coaching them for events, which may include contests and other riding purposes. The level of education and the yearly salary they can earn for this profession may differ depending on where the person is employed.

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are considered "hot-blooded" horses that are known for their agility, speed, and spirit.

In 1979, Bert Sonnier became the first trainer to saddle the winners of both the Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes (Execution's Reason) and the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (Sissy's Time) in the same year.^[3]

The Arlington-Washington Futurity Stakes is a Grade III flat horse race for Thoroughbred two-year-olds. It is raced over a distance of 7 furlongs, on Polytrack synthetic dirt at Arlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois every fall and currently offers a purse of $125,000.

The Arlington-Washington Breeders' Cup Lassie Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid September at Arlington Park Racetrack in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Raced on Polytrack synthetic dirt over a distance of seven furlongs, it is open to Two-Year-Old Fillies and currently offers a purse of $75,000. It was a Grade III race through 2012, but was a listed stakes in 2013.

Bert Sonnier was the Champion trainer at Arlington Park in 1983 and again in 1985. During his career, he conditioned a number of very good horses including the injury-prone Meadowlake, sire of the great Meadow Star, the 1990 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly and winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Sonnier's best runner was Nodouble who earned back-to-back American Champion Older Male Horse honors in 1969 and 1970.

Arlington International Racecourse is a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region has been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks (six) than any other major metropolitan area. Arlington International was the site of the first thoroughbred race with a million-dollar purse in 1981. It is located near the Illinois Route 53 expressway.

Meadow Star was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. She was described by Breeders' Cup Inc. as "one of the greatest 2-year-old fillies ever."

The American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971.

Sonnier retired having won 1,531 races, saddling his last runner on February 10, 2003 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.

Gulfstream Park is a racetrack and county-approved casino in Hallandale Beach, Florida. During its annual meet, which spans December through October, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in America.

Hallandale Beach is a city in Broward County, Florida. The city is named after Luther Halland, the son of a Swedish worker for Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,113.

His daughter Sheila married jockey Alex Solis.

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References

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[1] Los Angeles Times - July 7, 1969

[2] Chicago Tribune - September 20, 1985

[3] Chicago Tribune - September 15, 1979