Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Slow Down Andy

Mar 31, 2022 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Reddam Racing homebred Slow Down Andy picked up 50 points on the 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series following his half-length triumph in the $500,000 Sunland Park Derby (G3) on March 27. The Doug O’Neill trainee negotiated 1 1/8 miles on the fast dirt oval in 1:50.16 under the guidance of Mario Gutierrez. His lifetime line now reads 5-3-1-0, $544,850.

Bye Bye Bobby, Pepper Spray, and Fowler Blue rounded out the top four and earned points on a 20-10-5 basis, respectively.

'We were a part of some really fast fractions and I didn't think he could get there but he dug deep and he got the job done”, Gutierrez said after the race.

Slow Down Andy debuted on October 9 at Santa Anita in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight dash and aced his first assignment, eventually drawing 4 1/2 lengths clear while facing California-bred foes. Sent directly to the stakes ranks second time out, the son of Nyquist finished a close second in the Golden State Juvenile S. while running seven-eights on the Del Mar dirt.

The chestnut went a route of ground for the initial time in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on December 11, and he appreciated the extra ground when posting a one-length victory while posting a hefty 101 Brisnet Speed figure in his two-year-old finale. In that endeavor he defeated the highly regarded Messier, who was next seen dominating the Robert B. Lewis S. (G3) by a widening 15 lengths.

Slow Down Andy is the second stakes winner produced from the Square Eddie mare Edwina E, as his full-brother Team Merchants is a two-time black-type star. He hails from the same female line that is responsible for Broodmare of the Year Cara Rafaela, as well as champion classic winner and top sire Bernardini.

The colt has registered Brisnet Speed figures of 88-89-101-87-86 from five career performances to date. He will have to get faster to challenge the best in his division this spring, and with an immediate female line that is slanted more towards middle-distance success, he will also have to prove that he is capable of excelling at classic trips going forward.