Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Sandman

An eye-catching rally from behind a fast pace carried Sandman to victory in the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby (G1) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Stretching out over 1 1/4 miles for the Kentucky Derby (G1) shouldn’t be an obstacle for Sandman. But one interpretation of his pedigree suggests there’s a possibility the first Saturday in May is coming up a bit soon for Sandman.

Sandman is a son of Tapit, winner of the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial (G1) and a participant in the 2004 Kentucky Derby. Tapit was a fine racehorse, but he’s risen to the highest level as a stallion. He’s ranked as North America’s leading sire by progeny earnings on three occasions, and along the way he’s sired some of the best dirt horses of the last 20 years.

Stamina is a strong suit for sons and daughters of Tapit. His progeny win at an average distance of 7.6 furlongs, indicating a stallion who tends to pass on two-turn stamina. A few of Tapit’s best foals include:

• Flightline, the undefeated 2022 Horse of the Year and a runaway winner of the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
• Essential Quality, a two-time champion who won the 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1).
• Untapable, a champion three-year-old filly who won the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) racing 1 1/8 miles.
• Stardom Bound, a champion two-year-old filly who won the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
• Hansen, a champion two-year-old male best known for his victory in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).
• Unique Bella, a two-time champion who won Grade 1 races up to 1 1/16 miles in distance.
• Tonalist, Creator, and Tapwrit, all winners of the 1 1/2-mile Belmont.
• Frosted, runner-up in the Belmont and winner of the one-mile Metropolitan H. (G1) and 1 1/8-mile Whitney (G1).
• Cupid and Careless Jewel, Grade 1 winners over 1 1/4 miles.

The list of Grade 1-winning route racers sired by Tapit goes on and on. Unsurprisingly, he’s been a prolific sire of Kentucky Derby starters. No fewer than 14 of his foals have started in the Run for the Roses, including at least one every year from 2012 through 2023.

But Tapit has yet to sire a Kentucky Derby winner. Sometimes it seems as though the Kentucky Derby is too sharp of a race and/or too early in the season for Tapit’s classic-type sophomores. Essential Quality, Creator, and Tapwrit were all beaten in the Kentucky Derby before bouncing back five weeks later to win the Belmont racing a quarter-mile farther. Meanwhile, Tonalist matured too late to qualify to the Kentucky Derby, but peaked in time to win the Belmont.

Will a similar fate befall Sandman? It’s a possibility worth pondering, especially since the bottom half of his pedigree trends in a similar direction.

Sandman’s dam is Distorted Music, who didn’t debut until September of her three-year-old year. She won for the first time in November and went on to enjoy modest success as a four-year-old, ending her career with three victories over distances from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles.

Prior to Sandman, Distorted Music foaled the capable miler She Can’t Sing. While She Can’t Sing broke her maiden as a juvenile, she failed to win a stakes until age five, when she went on a tear and nabbed four stakes on turf and dirt. Her signature triumph came in the one-mile Chilukki (G3).

Distorted Music pretty much followed the example set by her sire, Distorted Humor. After failing to race as a juvenile, Distorted Humor won the Screen King S. at age three, but reached his peak at ages four and five. With maturity, he proved talented enough to win the Churchill Downs H. (G2), Commonwealth Breeders’ Cup (G2), and Salvator Mile H. (G3) in addition to placing in the Cigar Mile H. (G1).

At stud, Distorted Humor has sired multiple classic winners. Champion Funny Cide won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness (G1), while the long-winded Drosselmeyer took the Belmont and Breeders’ Cup Classic.

But daughters of Distorted Humor often foal late-maturing types like champion and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Arrogate, Hong Kong sensation Golden Sixty, and Pegasus World Cup (G1) heroes Art Collector and Life Is Good. There have been plenty of exceptions—like Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Citizen Bull and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) conqueror New Money Honey—but a U.S. classic winner has yet to emerge from Drosselmeyer’s otherwise exemplary record as a broodmare sire.

Overall, Sandman’s pedigree is loaded with potential. The cross of Tapit with the Distorted Humor mare Distorted Music suggests Sandman’s best days are still ahead, an exciting thought given he’s already a Grade 1 winner. But there’s a chance those best days will come during the summer or even next year, rather than on Kentucky Derby Day.