Sandman capped his 2-year-old season Friday with an impressive victory and an eye toward the Oaklawn prep series that leads to the 2025 Kentucky Derby.

The gray colt already owns 4 Derby qualifying points, earned at Churchill Downs with a fifth-place finish in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) and a third-place finish in the Street Sense Stakes (G3). Moving down to Hot Springs, Arkansas, trainer Mark Casse opted to get in one more race before the end of the year and Sandman responded well in Friday’s mile allowance underneath jockey Cristian Torres. He aced an inside trip, relaxing in fifth and sixth place, and kicked in with a decisive rally at the top of the stretch.

A maiden winner at Saratoga in August, Sandman will be a candidate for the $1-million Southwest Stakes (G3) run at a mile and a sixteenth on the dirt on Saturday, January 25 at Oaklawn. West Point races the colt with co-owners D.J. Stable, St. Elias Stable and CJ Stables.

DRF: Off Impressive Win, Sandman Likely for Southwest Stakes