Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Sandman

Apr 01, 2025 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Sandman rolls in the Arkansas Derby (Photo by Coady Media)

West Point Thoroughbreds, CJ Stables, D. J. Stable, and St. Elias Stable’s Sandman picked up 100 points on the 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series following an impressive, 2 ½-length score in the lucrative, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park on March 29. Trained by Mark Casse and guided home by Jose Ortiz, the talented colt negotiated 1 ⅛ miles on the fast surface in 1:50.08.

“I felt like the pace was very fast,” Ortiz said the following 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. The main thing was keeping him out of trouble.”

Rounding out the top five were Publisher, Coal Battle, Cornucopian, and Brereton’s Baytown, who earned qualifying points on a 50-25-15-10 structure, respectively.

Sandman was unplaced at first asking in a maiden special weight tilt at six furlongs on June 27 at Churchill Downs, but the gray displayed marked improvement when graduating second time out at Saratoga on Aug. 10 at the seven-eighths distance. Following an unplaced effort in the Iroquois S. (G3), the colt checked in third in the deep Street Sense S. (G3) prior to concluding his juvenile campaign with an allowance tally at Oaklawn Park. He preceded his recent triumph with a runner-up run in the Southwest S. (G3) and a third-place result in the Rebel S. (G2), and his lifetime line now reads 8-3-1-2, $1,254,595.

The son of Tapit was bred in Kentucky by Lothenbach Stables, Inc. and brought the gavel down at $1.2 million at the 2024 OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He is the second graded stakes winner produced from the winning Distorted Humor mare Distorted Music, who is also responsible for Grade 3 heroine She Can’t Sing. The well-bred sophomore hails from the same female line as 2021 Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Mystic Guide, five-time Grade 1 starlet Music Note, champion It’s In The Air, et al’s.

Sandman shows progressive Brisnet Speed numbers of 91-95-101 from his three graded races in 2025, and the move to 1 ¼ miles will not be an issue for the millionaire. He has a fine foundation under him, prior experience beneath the Twin Spires, and he is also moving in the right direction in advance of the Run for the Roses, too.