The brothers next teamed up with another colt, Exaggerator. After an encouraging two-year-old campaign in 2015, Desormeaux rode the colt to an impressive come-from-behind victory in the 2016 Santa Anita Derby that made the colt the second betting choice for the 2016 Kentucky Derby. The Desormeaux brothers finished second at the Derby, but would celebrate victory together on May 21 when Exaggerator won the 2016 Preakness Stakes. Desormeaux credited his early years riding the Maryland circuit with giving him a crucial edge at Pimlico: "With these turns you want to paint the fence. We did, they didn't and—not for nothing—knowledge is power."