Sandman capitalizes on fast pace in Arkansas Derby, Quietside battles to Fantasy triumph

Taking advantage of a pace meltdown, Sandman launched a sharp rally around the far turn at Oaklawn Park to win the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) in decisive fashion.

The 1 1/8-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier worth 100-50-25-15-10 points marked Sandman’s first triumph in a graded stakes. He’d previously placed in the Rebel (G2), Southwest (G3), and Street Sense (G3) on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail.

The Arkansas Derby unfolded in favorable fashion for Sandman’s stretch-running style. With Jose Ortiz in the saddle, the gray son of Tapit dropped as many as 12 1/2 lengths behind intense fractions of :22.46, :45.21, and 1:10.37 set by flashy maiden winner Cornucopian and Southwest winner Speed King. Those two pulled 8 1/2 lengths clear of their closest pursuers after half a mile.

As the dueling leaders began to tire, Rebel winner Coal Battle took aim from third place and briefly swept to the front. But by that point Sandman was in full swing on the far outside. He seized command in the homestretch, and despite drifting around down the lane he held off fellow deep closer Publisher to prevail by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:50.08.

"Today, a mile and an eighth, he’s proved that the two turns is his game," said Ortiz. "Very happy, very excited. Kentucky Derby—here we (come)."

Regarding Sandman's drifting down the homestretch, Ortiz noted, "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."

Publisher pulled 4 1/2 lengths clear of Coal Battle, who held third place by 1 1/2 lengths over Cornucopian. Then there was a gap of nearly 10 lengths back to Breteton’s Baytown, Speed King, Monet’s Magic, Bestfriend Rocket, and First Division.

Sandman hails from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. He races for the partnership of D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables.

The Arkansas Derby completed a lucrative double for Jose Ortiz. Earlier in the afternoon, he guided Quietside to a narrow victory in the 1 1/16-mile $750,000 Fantasy (G2), a Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifier worth 100-50-25-15-10 points.

Fresh off a win in the Honeybee (G3) at Oaklawn, Quietside pressed fractions of :23.89, :48.09, and 1:12.10 set by Silverbulletday S. winner Simply Joking before edging clear in the homestretch to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:44.31.

Simply Joking pulled 8 3/4 lengths clear of Sunland Park Oaks winner Runnin N Gunnin, while Princess Em Too, Kinzie Queen, Princess Aliyah, California Sunset, Necessity, and Baytown Butterfly completed the order of finish.

"She broke well, alert, that’s what I wanted," said Ortiz. "Simply Joking, I knew she was taking an easy lead, but I was right on top of her. I tried to make it a two-horse race and try to apply pressure at the right time. And I think I did just that. But she kept on going. Tough filly. Nice filly, there. They put on a show and I’m very happy we came out a winner. We came out on top, but that doesn’t take anything away from the other horse. She’s a nice filly."

Trained by John Ortiz, Quietside is a Shortleaf Stable homebred. As a juvenile, she placed in the Spinaway (G1) and Alcibiades (G1) behind champion two-year-old filly Immersive and ran second in the Golden Rod (G2) to current Kentucky Oaks (G1) favorite Good Cheer.

The $500,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3) for older horses rounded out the Saturday graded stakes action at Oaklawn. 2023 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner Saudi Crown started as the favorite, but after setting increasingly stiff fractions of :23.16, :46.01, and 1:09.68, he was conquered in the final furlong by the pace-pressing Banishing.

Beaten a head when second in last month’s Razorback H. (G3) at Oaklawn, Banishing ran even better in the Oaklawn Mile. Always prominent under jockey Flavien Prat, the David Jacobson trainee edged past Saudi Crown in the drive to prevail by one length in 1:36.77.

The Wine Steward, Dimatic, Just Steel, and I’m McDreamy trailed home the winner, a son of Ghostzapper owned by the partnership of Lawrence P. Roman and trainer Jacobson.