2025.01.17 Oaklawn Racing Update

Racing Update – Due to the forecasted freezing temperatures on Monday, January 20 the race card originally scheduled for that day has been rescheduled to Thursday, January 23 kicking off our big race weekend featuring Southwest Stakes on Saturday, January 25.

Compiled by Robert Yates

Sandman tuned up for a scheduled start in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) Jan. 25 with a half-mile workout over a fast track Friday morning at Oaklawn for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

Breezing immediately after the surface renovation break during a special 10-minute period for workers only, Sandman covered the distance in :48 under two-time Oaklawn leading rider Cristian Torres. The time ranked third out of 141 published at the distance.

A $1.2 million gray son of Tapit, Sandman is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the 1 1/16-miles Southwest, Oaklawn’s second of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races.

Torres said the breeze didn’t go exactly as planned because Sandman hooked up with another worker approaching the quarter pole. Sandman, on the inside, worked to the regular finish line and galloped out 5 furlongs in 1:00.40.

“That horse started like three or four lengths in front of me,” said Torres, who will ride Sandman in the Southwest. “(Sandman) is very relaxed and a very easy horse to work with. But when that horse started in front of me, he jumped on the bit. He’s a racehorse. He likes it when he has competition in front of him or close to him. But as soon as we hit the quarter pole, he relaxed and finished up well. He honestly did everything we wanted to see from him.”

Sandman completed a five-race 2-year-old campaign with a sharp one-mile allowance victory Dec. 13 at Oaklawn.

Sandman, who was ridden for the first time by Torres, received a career-high 97 Equibase Speed Figure for the 1 ¾-length victory. It was his second start around two turns.

Sandman was exiting a third-place finish in the $200,000 Street Sense Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 27 at Churchill Downs. The Street Sense marked the two-turn debut for Sandman, who broke his maiden going seven furlongs Aug. 10 at Saratoga. Sandwiched around the maiden victory were fifth-place finishes in his June 27 debut at six furlongs and the $300,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3) at one mile Sept. 14. Both races were at Churchill Downs.

Sandman was breezing for the first time since New Year’s Eve, when he clocked a half-mile in :48.80. Sandman’s training schedule was subsequently interrupted because of severe winter weather. Oaklawn lost eight days of training (Jan. 6-7 and Jan. 9-14).

“We’re really happy with the work today,” Torres said. “He galloped out really nice. Hopefully, he shows up next week. The storm came and he missed a work. Hopefully, it doesn’t bother him. He’s pretty fit, though. He’s a very athletic horse.”