In his three-year-old season, Sweetnorthernsaint trained at Laurel Park Racecourse in Maryland for trainer Michael Trombetta. He broke his maiden at Laurel in his first race of the year but was disqualified and placed fourth. He then shipped to Aqueduct Racecourse and won a second higher purse maiden race and then went straight into stakes races. Sweetnorthernsaint broke the stakes record in the Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park Racecourse, winning by ten lengths over his eight rivals. In the Gotham Stakes, he was too keen early and finished third. At Chicago's speed-favoring Hawthorne Race Course, Sweetnorthernsaint won the $500,000 grade two Illinois Derby by 9 ½ lengths as he passed pacesetting Mister Triester at the top of the stretch, stamping his ticket for the Kentucky Derby. He completed the 1-1/8-mile assignment in 1 minute and 49 4/5 seconds to earn the winner's share of $300,000 for owners Joseph J. Balsamo and Ted Theos. The race earned him a 107 Beyer Speed Figure, which was the highest recorded that year by a three-year-old.