Report: Slow Down Andy is retired with sesamoid injury

Slow Down Andy, who has not raced since winning the Grade 1 Awesome Again on Sept. 30, has been retired.

The 5-year-old horse was diagnosed with a sesamoid injury, according to a report from Steve Andersen of Daily Racing Form. Although breeding season began earlier in the month, trainer Doug O'Neill indicated that Slow Down Andy may start breeding mares this year.

An ankle injury in the fall took Slow Down Andy off of the Breeders' Cup trail. He returned to the work tab at Santa Anita on Jan. 14, and worked five times over the next month. His most recent drill was a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.20 at Santa Anita on Feb. 11, second fastest of 67 at the distance.

Slow Down Andy finished his career with a 14: 5-4-3 record and $1,276,600 in earnings. Four of those wins came in graded company, and he was a graded-stakes winner at ages 2, 3 and 4. Most of his wins came on dirt, though he also won the Del Mar Derby (G2) on the grass in September of 2022. He was multiple Grade 1-placed as a sophomore, finishing third in both the Awesome Again and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, and also finished third in the Pacific Classic (G1) at age 4. However, his final start in the 2023 Awesome Again was his first win at the top level.

A son of Nyquist out of the Square Eddie mare Edwina E, Slow Down Andy raced in the silks of his breeder, Reddam Racing. He is a full brother to Team Merchants, a stakes winner on both dirt and turf for O'Neill and Reddam Racing.