For at least a little while, there is a new leader atop the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 129 qualifying points ahead of the May 3 classic: Sandman .

Rallying from behind a blistering pace set by Speed King  and Cornucopian , the talented 3-year-old colt outkicked fellow closer Publisher  by 2 1/2 lengths to capture the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) March 29 at Oaklawn Park. 

Stewards briefly reviewed an erratic stretch run from Sandman, who drifted out under urging, before making no change to the order of finish. Sandman completed 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:50.08, paying $9.40 to win.

Coal Battle  finished third, 4 1/2 lengths behind the runner-up. He was followed by favored Cornucopian in fourth and longshot Brereton’s Baytown  in fifth.

The Arkansas Derby awarded Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to its top five finishers. Sandman, who already had 29 points, now leads all other 3-year-olds on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, though he too could be passed by others racing next week.

No matter. Sandman is Kentucky Derby-bound, safely in the prestigious first leg of the Triple Crown under the points system that Churchill Downs officials use as a preference system when the Derby draws beyond its 20-horse maximum field size.

Jose Ortiz rode the winner and in a post-race interview on horseback shortly after the race, expressed his excitement to reunite with him in the Derby.

“When he entered the stretch, he exploded,” the jockey said of Sandman in the Arkansas Derby.

For a colt that did have much luck in two earlier stakes starts at Oaklawn Park earlier this year—Sandman had a disastrous start when runner-up in the Jan. 25 Southwest Stakes (G3) and left with too much to do in making a belated rally for third in the Feb. 23 Rebel Stakes (G2)—the table was set for him in the Arkansas Derby.

When front-running Speed King hooked up with the stretching-out second-time starter Cornucopian—opening up 8 1/2 lengths on Coal Battle in third by the half-mile call—the Arkansas Derby seemed primed for an off-the-pace runner to prevail.

“The farther they went (in battle), the more confident I was,” said Sandman’s trainer, Hall of Famer Mark Casse.

Splits of :22.46, :45.21, and 1:10.37 left the leaders gassed down the lane, though the lightly raced Cornucopian fought on admirably to earn a minor share. 

Coal Battle, who had beaten Sandman in Rebel, was first to pounce, taking over approaching the stretch, but the diminutive, fast-accelerating colt could keep up with the longer-striding Sandman and fellow closer Publisher late in his first race beyond 1 1/16 miles. A length behind Sandman with a furlong remaining, he finished seven lengths behind him at the finish.

Coal Battle was a bit keen early but settled down entering the first turn to stalk the pace. The Arkansas Derby marked his first loss in six dirt races.

Based on historical trends, the runner-up with 60 overall points and show finisher with 95 points have sufficient Kentucky Derby points to gain entry into the Derby.

Sandman is a gray and/or roan by Tapit   out of the Distorted Humor mare Distorted Music  owned by D. J. Stables, St Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables. 

The all-time leading sire by earnings, Tapit stands for $185,000 at Gainesway Farm in Kentucky.

Sandman’s owners purchased him for $1.2 million from the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Tom McCrocklin consigned him there as part of a complete dispersal for his breeder, Lothenbach Stables. Bob Lothenbach of Lothenbach Stables died in November 2023 at age 64.

Four of the dam’s five foals of racing age have raced, with three victorious. Sandman became his dam’s second graded stakes winner following She Can’t Sing , who captured the Chilukki Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs in 2022. The unraced foal is a 2-year-old Into Mischief   colt.

The Arkansas Derby, the richest domestic Kentucky Derby prep race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, has produced eight Kentucky Derby winners, including last year’s Derby winner, Mystik Dan . Mystik Dan ran third in the Arkansas Derby.

Three horses have won both races: Sunny’s Halo (1983), Smarty Jones  (2004), and Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh (2015).

Despite the blistering pace in Saturday’s Arkansas Derby, Sandman’s final time fell short of clocking over the past two years. Muth  , last year’s winner, was timed in 1:49.54, and Angel of Empire   ran 1:49.68 in taking the 2023 race.

For Casse, Sandman represents one of his best career chances to win the Derby after 10 defeats. The trainer has already won the other two legs of the Triple Crown, taking the 2019 Preakness Stakes (G1) with War Of Will   and that year’s Belmont Stakes (G1) with Sir Winston  . 

2017 Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire , the champion 2-year-old male of 2016, gave Casse his best Derby finish in running a troubled fourth in the 2017 Derby. 

Casse believes Sandman is a horse who will relish Derby’s 1 1/4-mile distance.

“As Jose said, he wants you to get into a rhythm, and if you can get him into that rhythm, he’ll just go. Jose said he didn’t take a deep breath when he pulled up,” Casse noted

Video: Arkansas Derby (G1)

This story will be updated.