Sandman closes to win Arkansas Derby + spot in Kentucky Derby

All he needed was a lightning-fast pace to finally put his rivals to sleep.

Sandman scored his breakthrough stakes victory Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn, rolling to a 2 1/2-length victory over Publisher in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby, qualifying him for Kentucky Derby 2025.

Click here for Oaklawn entries and results.

Seventh after a half-mile, 13 1/2 lengths behind, Sandman ($9.40) made his winning move on the second turn, inhaling the two leg-weary front-runners Cornucopian and Speed King as well as Coal Battle approaching the top of the stretch.

Under jockey José Ortiz, Sandman took command on the outside turning for home and was not threatened late despite lugging out near the eighth pole. Stewards immediately posted the inquiry sign, but they quickly decided no change was warranted.

“I think that just shows how good he is,” winning trainer Mark Casse said. “He wasn’t focusing, and he was still able to draw away. As José said, he wants to get into a rhythm, and if you can get him into that rhythm, he’ll just go. Jose said he didn’t take a deep breath when he pulled up.”

Publisher, now a seven-race maiden who was racing in blinkers for the first time, finished second, 4 1/2 lengths ahead of millionaire and multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Coal Battle. Publisher also clinched a Kentucky Derby invitation.

“With the pace scenario we got a good trip,” Publisher’s trainer Steve Asmussen said. “Winner outran us. At the head of the stretch, I’d have picked us and we ended up second. I’m very proud of how he ran and we need to find more.”

Despite the loss, third-place Coal Battle already assured himself of a berth in the Kentucky Derby.

“He was a little too fresh today, and you always think about the drawing board, going back to it,” Coal Battle’s trainer Lonnie Briley said. “But in the paddock, he was a little anxious and stuff, so I was worried about that today. He ran a good race. He ran third, and Sandman had been coming from behind, so we knew that he would be a factor. ... We’ll have another shot at them soon.”

It was another 1 1/2 lengths farther back in fourth to 4-5 favorite Cornucopian, who was making his stakes and two-turn debut in just his second career start. Brereton’s Baytown, Speed King, Monet’s Magic, Bestfriend Rocket and First Division completed the finish in that order.

Cornucopian and Southwest winner Speed King dueled through exhausting splits of 22.46, 45.21 and 1:10.37. Neither survived. Late-running Sandman, however, thrived. His winning time over a fast track was 1:50.08 for the 1 1/8 miles.

“I couldn’t believe it, actually.” Casse said about the early pace. “I said, well, they’ll have to be superstars to keep going. The farther they went, the more confident I was. The faster they went, the more I smiled.”

Sandman was the second Arkansas Derby victor for trainer Mark Casse, who also won the race in 2017 with champion Classic Empire. Sandman was making his fifth stakes appearance. He finished a troubled second in the Southwest (G3) Jan. 25 and was third as the favorite in the Rebel (G2) Feb. 23. Both 1 1/16-mile races were at Oaklawn.

Sandman collected 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the victory, his third in eight lifetime starts. A gray son of super sire Tapit, Sandman raised his lifetime earnings to $1,254,595.

“Kentucky Derby, here we (come),” Ortiz said. “He was a little shy from the whip from the left hand. I could see that from the replays the last time. I tried one time and didn’t try it again, so he was rolling.”

A $1.2 million Ocala Breeders’ Sales purchase, Sandman races for D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables.