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With his part-owner -- social media influencer Griffin Johnson -- spearheading the effort, Sandman became horse racing's latest star at the Kentucky Derby, attracting new fans to the sport. But while Sandman was a social success, he was a Derby disappointment, finishing seventh as the second choice in the 19-horse field. On Saturday this $1.2 million gray colt will get a chance at redemption when he leaves the starting gate in the 2025 Preakness Stakes. 

7 Sandman (4-1)

  • Trainer Mark Casse
  • Jockey John Velazquez
  • Last race 7th in the Kentucky Derby by 12 1/2 lengths
  • Career record 9 starts: 3 wins, 1 second, 2 thirds
  • Career earnings $1,254,595
  • Best career Beyer Speed Figure 99 (2025 Arkansas Derby)
  • Sire Tapit

Below, we'll dig further into Sandman as part of our series profiling all the horses competing in the 150th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 17. We'll look back into his past performances, what questions need to be answered on Saturday and analyze how the post draw affects his chances.

Preakness Stakes profiles 1 Goal Oriented | 2 Journalism | 3 American Promise | 4 Heart of Honor | 5 Pay Billy | 6 River Thames | 7 Sandman | 8 Clever Again | 9 Gosger

Preakness Stakes picks Michelle Yu | Gene Menez | Jody Demling | Jeff Hochman

What to know about Sandman

While Sovereignty may have left Louisville with the garland of roses, Sandman left with the biggest fan following. The combination of his catchy name, late-running style, handsome gray coat and social media savvy co-owner drew new fans to both the horse and the sport.

Unfortunately for his fans and bettors at FanDuel Racing, TwinSpires and 1/ST BET, Sandman couldn't do any better than seventh in the Kentucky Derby. And there weren't really any excuses. He broke cleanly, avoided traffic trouble and got the fair pace up front. But the horse who built a reputation as a dangerous, late-running closer after his come-from-behind victory in the Arkansas Derby was outrun late by Sovereignty, Journalism, Final Gambit and Burnham Square.

To be fair, trainer Mark Casse told the Paulick Report this week that Sandman ran in the Kentucky Derby with some minor hoof tenderness and had to wear a special pair of shoes in the race. But if the hoof tenderness was a major issue, he wouldn't have run in Louisville.

The Kentucky Derby strengthened the argument that Sandman's Arkansas Derby win may have been more an outlier than the rule. Sandman has run only one race that has earned a Beyer Speed Figure of more than 92, and that was the Arkansas Derby where he was the beneficiary of a historic pace meltdown. He is 0-for-5 in his other graded stakes attempts.

Luckily for Sandman, the pace for the Preakness Stakes has the potential to be fast. Goal Oriented, who went gate-to-wire in his last start, drew the No. 1 post and will be forced to go from the rail. American Promise, River Thames and Clever Again also have ample early speed. But even if Sandman gets the pace meltdown he needs, he still will have to outfinish Journalism.

The morning-line odds list Sandman as the 4-1 second choice, but Sandman's popularity could drive those odds down.

Post draw analysis

Sandman is the odds-on favorite to be last when the field crosses under the wire for the first time, so the post position draw was largely irrelevant to him. Jockey Jose Ortiz committed to ride Clever Again before the final decision was made to enter Sandman in the Preakness, so John Velazquez picks up the mount on Sandman. As Velazquez has gotten older, saving ground hasn't been a priority for him, so Sandman could be destined to lose ground around the final turn when he commences his late run.