Sandman will proceed his chase for Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying factors at Oaklawn Park within the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 29, his twin Corridor of Fame coach Mark Casse confirmed Feb. 28
The 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby is Oaklawn’s fourth and last Kentucky Derby qualifying race. It can provide 200 whole factors (100-50-25-15-10) to the highest 5 finishers towards eligibility for the Kentucky Derby, which is restricted to twenty starters.
Though Oaklawn-based Sandman ranks sixth on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 29 factors, he is nonetheless looking for his first profession stakes victory. Sandman collected 15 factors for a third-place end Feb. 23 within the Insurgent Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn. Sandman, the 5-2 favourite, was overwhelmed 1 3/4 lengths by Coal Battle .
“I believed he ran very well, really, exceptionally nicely,” Casse mentioned of Sandman. “It helped to be up shut. The winner was spectacular. The transfer he made on the (three-eighths pole) was spectacular. He is a great horse.”
Sandman broke nicely, however Casse mentioned the Tapit colt misplaced vital momentum going into the primary flip and was too far off a scorching tempo. Madaket Street , the tearaway chief, completed second, one half-length forward of Sandman, who closed nicely in deep stretch after racing ninth early below Cristian Torres.Join BloodHorse Each day
“For my part, we misplaced the race, in all probability, within the first hundred yards,” Casse mentioned. “We acquired caught behind (Kenny) McPeek’s horse (Hypnus) and made us farther again. We have been hoping to be 5 or 6 lengths again. As a substitute, we have been 15. I believe it was an important effort to solely get beat a few lengths.”
The Insurgent was Sandman’s fourth stakes begin.
Sandman ran fifth within the one-mile, Iroquois Stakes (G3) Sept. 14 at Churchill Downs, third within the 1 1/16-mile Road Sense Stakes (G3) Oct. 27 at Churchill, and second, overwhelmed a size, within the Southwest Stakes (G3) Jan. 25. The Southwest was Oaklawn’s second Kentucky Derby qualifying race.
The Arkansas Derby shall be Sandman’s first begin at 1 1/8 miles.
“Hopefully, the monitor will not be fairly as velocity biased,” Casse mentioned. “We get an additional sixteenth of a mile. Undoubtedly, the farther the higher. We’re excited. We simply need to get a great effort out of him after which, hopefully, on to Kentucky.”
Sandman was bred by the late Robert Lothenbach and bought for $1.2 million on the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Gross sales March 2-12 months-Olds in Coaching Sale. He’s now raced by D. J. Secure, St. Elias Secure, West Level Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables. He’s a half brother to grade 3 winner She Cannot Sing (Bernardini) and out of the fast household of grade 1 winners Music Notice and Musical Chimes .
This press launch has been edited for content material and elegance by BloodHorse Employees.
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