Saturday’s Racing Insights: Sandman Returns at Oaklawn

[Wandering Eyes]

4th-OP, $126K, OC 100k/C, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 2:32 p.m. ET.

Sandman (Tapit), winner of last term's GI Arkansas Derby and third-place finisher in the GI Preakness S., kicks off his 4-year-old campaign in Hot Springs. The $1.2-million OBS March breezer was last seen finishing ninth in the grassy GIII DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational S. at Kentucky Downs Aug. 30. He will race with first-time Lasix with Jose Ortiz aboard. He is owned in partnership by D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables and is trained by Mark Casse.

“He had a long, hard campaign,” Casse said. “We ran him all winter long. No question he tailed off some in (late summer). Gave him some time off. He's grown up, he looks good. A big race here could set him up for the (GIII) Razorback (Feb. 28).”

TJCIS PPS

6th-TAM, $55K, Msw, 3yo, 1m40yds, 2:42 p.m. ET.

Make My Day (Gun Runner), a $1.1-million Keeneland September purchase by Spendthrift Farm and Repole Stable, will make his debut around two turns for Todd Pletcher. The bay is a half-brother to MGSW and GI Breeders' Cup Sprint runner-up Imagination (Into Mischief) and GSW & MGISP Occult (Into Mischief). Pletcher will also saddle the debuting Powershift (Constitution), a $500,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Repole Stable. TJCIS PPS

6th-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 2:50 p.m. ET.

Ezum (Essential Quality), a half-brother to MGISW Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid), kicks off his career for trainer Brad Cox. The gray brought $485,000 from Shadwell Stable as a Keeneland November weanling. Palpable (McKinzie), a half-brother to GISW Declassify (Orientate), debuts for Tramp Hollow Stable and trainer Melanie Giddings. He brought $270,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. The field of 11 also includes promising second-time starters: $425,000 Keeneland September yearling Growth Equity (Nyquist), a solid second on debut for Chad Brown at Saratoga last summer; and OXO Equine homebred and 9-5 morning-line favorite High Camp (Instagrand), second with an 83 Beyer at Gulfstream Dec. 28. TJCIS PPS

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