For at least a little while, there is a new 3-year-old atop the Kentucky Derby (G1) leaderboard with 129 qualifying points ahead of the May 3 classic: Sandman.
Rallying from behind a blistering pace set by Speed King and Cornucopian, the talented gray and/or roan colt outkicked fellow closer Publisher by 2 1/2 lengths to capture the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 29 at Oaklawn Park.
Stewards briefly reviewed an erratic stretch run from Sandman, who drifted out under urging, before making no change to the order of finish. The winner completed 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:50.08, paying $9.40 to win.
Coal Battle finished third, 4 1/2 lengths behind the runner-up. He was followed by favored Cornucopian in fourth and longshot Brereton's Baytown in fifth.
The Arkansas Derby awarded Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to its top five finishers. Sandman, who already had 29 points, now leads all other point-earners on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, though he too could be passed by others racing in key preps next week.
No matter. Sandman is Kentucky Derby-bound, safely in the prestigious first leg of the Triple Crown under the points system that Churchill Downs officials use as a preference system when the Derby draws beyond its 20-horse maximum field size.
Jose Ortiz rode the winner and in a postrace interview on horseback shortly after the race, expressed his excitement to reunite with him in the Derby.
"When he entered the stretch, he exploded," he said of Sandman in the Arkansas Derby.
For a colt that did not have much luck in two earlier stakes starts at Oaklawn Park earlier this year—Sandman had a disastrous start when runner-up in the Jan. 25 Southwest Stakes (G3) and left with too much ground to make up in launching a belated rally for third in the Feb. 23 Rebel Stakes (G2)—the table was set for him in the Arkansas Derby.
When front-running Speed King hooked up with the stretching-out second-time starter Cornucopian—opening up 8 1/2 lengths on Coal Battle in third by the half-mile call—the Arkansas Derby seemed primed for an off-the-pace runner to prevail.
"The farther they went (in battle), the more confident I was," said Sandman's trainer, Hall of Famer Mark Casse.
Splits of :22.46, :45.21, and 1:10.37 left the leaders gassed in the lane, though the lightly raced Cornucopian fought on admirably to earn a minor share.
Coal Battle, who had beaten Sandman in the Rebel, was first to pounce, taking over approaching the stretch, but the diminutive, fast-accelerating colt could not keep up with the longer-striding Sandman and fellow closer Publisher late in his first race beyond 1 1/16 miles. A length behind Sandman with a furlong remaining, he finished seven lengths behind him at the finish.
Coal Battle was keen early but settled down entering the first turn to stalk the pace. The Arkansas Derby marked his first loss in six dirt races.
"Well, I think he was too fresh today," Coal Battle's trainer, Lonnie Briley, told FanDuel Racing.
He second-guessed skipping a workout with the colt between the Rebel and Arkansas Derby.
"I needed four works (in) him and I got three, and it showed today," he added.
Based on historical trends, the runner-up with 60 overall points and show finisher with 95 points will also gain entry into the Kentucky Derby.
Sandman's Pedgiree, Auction History
Sandman is a gray and/or roan by Tapit out of the Distorted Humor mare Distorted Music owned by D. J. Stable, St Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables.
The all-time leading sire by earnings, Tapit stands for $185,000 at Gainesway in Kentucky.
Sandman's owners purchased him for $1.2 million from the 2024 Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Tom McCrocklin consigned him there as part of a complete dispersal for his breeder, Lothenbach Stables. This dispersal followed Bob Lothenbach of Lothenbach Stables' death in November 2023 at age 64.
Four of the dam's five foals of racing age have started, with three victorious. Sandman became his dam's second graded stakes winner following She Can't Sing, who captured the Chilukki Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs in 2022. The unraced foal is a 2-year-old Into Mischief colt.
The Arkansas Derby, the richest domestic Kentucky Derby prep race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, has produced eight Kentucky Derby winners, including last year's Derby winner, Mystik Dan. Mystik Dan ran third in the Arkansas Derby.
Three horses have won both races: Sunny's Halo (1983), Smarty Jones (2004), and Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh (2015).
Despite the blistering pace in Saturday's race, Sandman's time was slower than those posted over the prior two runnings. Muth , last year's winner, was timed in 1:49.54, and Angel of Empire ran 1:49.68 in taking the 2023 race.
A Derby Opportunity for Casse
For Casse, Sandman represents one of his best career chances to win the Kentucky Derby after 10 defeats. The trainer has already won the other two legs of the Triple Crown, taking the 2019 Preakness Stakes (G1) with War of Will and that year's Belmont Stakes (G1) with Sir Winston .
2017 Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire, the champion 2-year-old male of 2016, gave Casse his best Derby finish in running a troubled fourth in the 2017 race.
Casse believes Sandman is a horse who will relish the Derby's 1 1/4-mile distance.
"As Jose said, he wants you to get into a rhythm, and if you can get him into that rhythm, he'll just go. Jose said he didn't take a deep breath when he pulled up," the trainer noted
