Outcome aside, dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said he was ecstatic with Sandman ‘s performance in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds Jan. 25 at Oaklawn Park.
Sandman spotted the field several lengths at the start after breaking in a tangle, then rallied from last of nine in his 3-year-old debut to finish second, beaten a length by Speed King , under Cristian Torres.
“I was just happy that he was fine,” Casse said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time and watched a lot of horses run, good horses that could never overcome the break that he had to even hit the board. So, I think: 1) hats off to Cristian. Not really sure how he stayed on and 2) he didn’t panic. He let the horse get himself together and the rest goes to Sandman. I said going in we’re going to find out whether he’s a man or a boy and I think he’s a man.”
Sandman (#6) jumps to his left at the start of the Southwest Stakes
The 1 1/16-mile Southwest was Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying races. The Southwest allotted 42 total points (20-10-6-4-2, respectively) to the top five finishers toward Kentucky Derby starting eligibility.
Casse said Sandman will remain at Oaklawn—the trainer has a string in Hot Springs for the first time since 2019—and point for the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 22. The Rebel is Oaklawn’s final major prep for the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles March 29.
“He’s one of the reasons I came there,” Casse said. “This is the first time in some time. That was a real interrupted schedule, as well, training. So many things the way he ran were good. We’re staying there. That is our path to the (Kentucky) Derby. It will be the Rebel next.”
Sandman only had two half-mile workouts in advance of the Southwest after Oaklawn lost more than 10 days of training earlier in January to winter weather.
Despite missed training and a nightmarish start, the Southwest still marked the best stakes finish to date for Sandman, a gray son of Tapit who was purchased for $1.2 million at the Ocala Breeders’ March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in training. Sandman ran fifth in the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3) at one mile Sept. 14 and third in the $200,000 Street Sense Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 27. Both races were at Churchill Downs.
“He did (everything but win) and probably more,” Casse said of the Southwest. “Obviously, you’re disappointed when you miss the opportunity to win a big race, a million-dollar race, but we came away with so many positives that it’s hard to be very disappointed.”
Casse trains Sandman, a career winner of $344,595 off a 2-1-1 record from six starts, for D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables.
Sandman (14 points) ranks 12th on the official Kentucky Derby leaderboard released Feb. 1 by Churchill Downs.
Sandman galloped 1 1/2 miles Feb. 2 and will probably work next weekend, said Caden Arthur, who oversees Casse’s Oaklawn division.
“He came out his race in great shape and we are really looking forward to seeing him run again in the Rebel,” Arthur wrote in a text message.
Among the horses Sandman could face in the Rebel are Speed King (25 points), Coal Battle (20), who won the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 4, and Innovator (six). The 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones was Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby qualifying race. Coal Battle has three published workouts at Delta Downs since the Smarty Jones.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
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