Sandman and Publisher, 1-2, respectively, in the Arkansas Derby (G1) are scheduled to ship March 31 to Churchill Downs to begin preparations for the May 3 Kentucky Derby (G1), their respective trainers said March 30, while third-place finisher Coal Battle will stick around a little longer before joining them.
Sandman cemented his status as a top Kentucky Derby contender with a 2 1/2-length victory in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) before an estimated crowd of 68,500 at Oaklawn Park March 29.
A late-running gray son of super sire Tapit , Sandman took advantage of a pace meltdown to record his first career stakes victory and vault to the top of the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 129 points. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters.
Sandman, reunited with jockey Jose Ortiz in his first start at 1 1/8 miles, a distance Mark Casse, the colt's dual Hall of Fame trainer, said he would relish.
"Jose and I talked about it before the race," Casse said. "Again, we thought as the day was going on, if you watched the races, speed was holding pretty good in a few prior races. But we both talked about it and said: 'Look, we don't care what happens. We're going to let him get into his stride and go from there.' Never did we dream that we would get a pace scenario like we got. Jose told me he thought he was a winner, down the middle of the backside."
READ: Enter Sandman: Tapit Colt Wins Arkansas Derby, KY-Bound
Casse had tapped Oritz to ride Sandman in the Arkansas Derby after he finished a troubled second to Speed King in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Jan. 25 and third as the favorite behind Coal Battle in the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 23. Both 1 1/16-mile races were at Oaklawn.
"I felt like the pace was very fast," Ortiz said Sunday morning. "I was in range of Coal Battle and I felt like the last race that Sandman was the one really closing the last sixteenth. I thought yesterday, with the added distance, it would help. I wanted to follow Coal Battle and I did. The main thing was keeping him out of trouble."
Casse, who won the 2017 Arkansas Derby with champion Classic Empire, trains Sandman for D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables. Sandman was purchased for $1.2 million at the Ocala Breeders' March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
Publisher likely secured a Kentucky Derby spot Saturday, collecting 50 points for his runner-up finish. He has 60 points overall to rank 10th on the leaderboard. Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen trains Publisher, a son of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah for Gus King and the Estate of Brereton Jones. Publisher competed in Oaklawn's final three Kentucky Derby qualifying races, finishing a troubled sixth in the Southwest and fourth in the Rebel.
"Just see how we do in Kentucky, but no reason not to go forward," Asmussen said. "I think you get gathered up at Churchill and re-evaluate everybody."
Asmussen said he was particularly pleased how Publisher, a $600,000 purchase at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, handled the zoo-like Arkansas Derby atmosphere, including the indoor paddock and parading in the infield before the race.
"I think the Arkansas Derby is a wonderful prep for that scenario," Asmussen said. "The infield, with 68,000 people—I definitely know that Publisher's got a beautiful temperament for a race of that size. That's not going to throw him off whatsoever. He stepped up and ran a 95 Beyer (Speed Figure) yesterday. He's on the cusp of it, but we've got to find more."
After taking a short lead near the quarter pole, Coal Battle was beaten seven lengths in the Arkansas Derby. It was his first loss in six career dirt starts, a winning streak that included the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 4 at Oaklawn and the Rebel. Coal Battle's demeanor Saturday was over the top, trainer Lonnie Briley said Sunday morning.
"He was just too high," Briley said. "He was on the muscle in the paddock and I had to finish saddling him on the walk. He beat himself. He didn't want to settle. When he broke the gates, he wanted to go. He was just high yesterday."
Briley said Coal Battle exited the Arkansas Derby in good shape physically and will spend "about 10 days" at Oaklawn before shipping to Churchill Downs to continue preparations for the Kentucky Derby. Coal Battle ranks sixth on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 95 points.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
