The striking gray 3-year-old racing horse Sandman will be one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on May 3 in Churchill Downs. This alone means that Sandman will be the subject of intensive media reporting before the first jewel of the triple crown.
However, younger fans most likely heard for the first time from the Racehorse Sandman about conventional media, but about the social media reports of his minority owner Griffin Johnson, an influencer with more than 14 million followers.
Johnson is a shareholder in Sandman through the West Point full books of Terry Finley, a pairing that consists of the “A participation in fame” in the best racing. Johnson, who grew up in South Illinois, was in Churchill Downs for Sandman's debut on June 27, 2024 and supported every step on the way to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby 2025.
Johnson really enjoyed learning all facets of the horse race with the West Point -Füllblut partnership.
“He has a humorous, playful personality,” said Finley. “He loves these peppermint. And he will share his opinion when the peppermint is gone.”
WHO: 3-year-old thoroughbred racing horse sandman
WHAT: Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve
WHEN: May 3rd. The start time is about 6:57 p.m. ET.
WHERE: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
HOW: Qualified by winning the Arkansas Derby on March 29, after taking third place in the rebel operations and the second in the Southwest Stakes in Oaklawn Park
Let's talk about the genetics a little. Foreign trees are a substantial deal when it comes to thoroughbred racing horses, and Sandman's is part of why he bought $ 1.2 million at an auction. Sandman's father (father) is in 2004 Wood Memorial Stakes winner Tapit and his dam (mother) is distorted music due to distorted humor. From the name of his mother you can see how he became a sandman after the Metallica song “Enter Sandman”.
With regard to his breeding, it is essential to know that tapit has been the leading father in North America several times. His best runners include the Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist (2014), Creator (2016), Tapwrit (2017) and crucial quality (2021) and he has created five other top three finishers in the 1 ½ miles race, which is called the “test of the champion”. This explains Sandman's extraordinary perseverance and why he can run well in the Kentucky Derby, which is 1 ¼ miles long. Tapit is also the father of Brilliant 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline, who was driven by a partnership, belonged to Terry Finley's West Point fullblood. Sandman's striking gray coat comes from tapit.
@AmericaSbestracing The Saratoga Water Bad is Sandman is preparing for the Arkansas Derby this Saturday and in the Top 3 could be in the 151st Kentucky Derby @Geart -folle -Vollbreds @oaklawn Scorching Springs #horset #horset #HorsSet #Horsset #HorsSet #Horsset #Horset #Horset and #Horsetbreds #HorsSet and #Horsetbred #Horset. Outh ■ ○
“He is a horse that attracts her attention. I came across so many people with similar comments when they saw him for the first time and said:” Who is that? “, Said Finley.” He is very clever, but he's not the early ripe horse, so I think that it is perfect to fit [trainer] Mark Casse, who was patient, to bring him to a kind of ancient school, the building and the building, and it seems certain that there is much more in the tank. That's why we dream anyway. “
As Finley mentioned and can see them from the first above -embeded video, Sandman's trip to Louisville for the “Run for the Roses” was not a way after one victory after the other. The development of racing horse is often not linear – there are usually ups and downs on the way when horses learn what is required of them – and that was the case with Sandman. He was always talented, but it took some time to find out things.
Sandman won his second start in August 2024 on the Saratoga Race Course. His debut was not so good, but he showed a fight by scoring fifth place in the Irokois Stakes, a qualification points by Kentucky Derby in Churchill Downs in September.
Next, Sandman was the third place on Sense Stakes Street, another qualification game in Kentucky Derby, before he won his second win in a miles long race in Oaklawn Park in his last start of 2024.
As a 3-year-old in 2025, Sandman's progress in the favorite for the Kentucky Derby in three starts in Oaklawn Park in Scorching Springs, ARK, was more uncomplicated. of 13 lengths after the third deficit worth 1.25 million US dollars to third place on February 23; And closed from 13 lengths to win the $ 1.5 million on March 29 with $ 1.5 million.
Sandman used his final preparations for the Kentucky Derby for coach Mark Casse in Churchill Downs. Between the starts, whole blood leads to complete time -controlled workouts or breeze to maintain a top fitness level. Sandman has born in Churchill twice and has completed half a mileage training in: 49.60 April 15th and a training of five round of 16 in April 1st: April 23rd.
“It was a perfect breeze,” said Casse about the training on April 23. “I said to everyone that he was not expecting anything spectacular because he is already fit. He is humorous because he is an extremely clever horse, so he broke off and I think he thought, he galloped and then on top of the trail, I said to the child through the walkie talkie.
Who are the people behind the horse? Löthenbach -Stalls breeded Sandman in Kentucky and he is trained by Casse, a racetrack of Famer in Canada and US Casse in 2019 won the Preakness Stakes with War of Will and Belmont mission in 2019 with Sir Winston, but he is still looking for his first victory in Kentucky Derby. Sandman's jockey is Jose Ortiz, the Eclipse award winner in 2017 as an outstanding jockey. Ortiz 'best end in the Kentucky Derby came in 2018 when he rode second place good magic.
Sandman belongs to the partnership of DJ Stable, Stable Stable, West Point -Fullblut and CJ stables. DJ Stable is the racing company of Len and Lois Green and is managed by her son Jonathan Green, who jointly organizes the Rail Talk Podcast. DJ Stables drove several champions, as did Stable Stable, the racing company of Vinnie Viola, owner of the defending champion Stanley Cup, Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League. St. Elias was a co-owner of the Kentucky Derby winner in 2017, who always dreamed together with West Point full blood. Charles Sonson's CJ stables are relatively up-to-date for full blood races.
West Point-Follblut won the Kentucky Derby 2017 with always dreams and the 2022 Breederers' Cup Classic with the race horse in the world, the number 1, flightline,. You have won more than 1,200 races and collected more than 88.8 million US dollars in 2007. The syndicate was described by the founder Finley as a homage to his Alma Mater.
