Sandman tuned up for a scheduled start Jan. 25 in the Grade
3, $1 million Southwest Stakes with a half-mile workout over a fast track
Friday morning at Oaklawn for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

Breezing immediately after the surface renovation break
during a special 10-minute period for workers only, Sandman covered the
distance in 48.0 seconds under two-time Oaklawn leading rider Cristian Torres.
The time ranked third fastest of 141 published over the course and distance.

A $1.2 million gray son of Tapit, Sandman is scheduled to
make his 3-year-old debut in the 1 1/16-miles Southwest, Oaklawn’s second of
four Kentucky Derby 2025 qualifying races.

Torres said the breeze did not go exactly as planned,
because Sandman hooked up with another worker approaching the quarter pole.
Sandman, on the inside, worked to the regular finish line and galloped out five
furlongs in 1:00.4.

“That horse started like three or four lengths in front of
me,” said Torres, who will ride Sandman in the Southwest. “(Sandman) is very
relaxed and a very easy horse to work with, but when that horse started in
front of me, he jumped on the bit. He’s a racehorse. He likes it when he has
competition in front of him or close to him, but as soon as we hit the quarter
pole, he relaxed and finished up well. He honestly did everything we wanted to
see from him.”

Sandman completed a five-race, 2-year-old campaign with a
sharp, one-mile allowance victory Dec. 13 at Oaklawn. Ridden for the first time
by Torres, Sandman received a career-high 97 Equibase Speed Rating for the 1 3/4-length
win. It was his second start around two turns.

Sandman was exiting a third-place finish in the $200,000
Street Sense Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 27 at Churchill Downs. The Street
Sense marked the two-turn debut for Sandman, who broke his maiden going seven
furlongs Aug. 10 at Saratoga. Sandwiched around the maiden victory were
fifth-place finishes in his June 27 debut at six furlongs and the $300,000
Iroquois Stakes (G3) at one mile Sept. 14. Both races were at Churchill Downs.

Sandman breezed for the first time since New Year’s Eve,
when he was clocked going a half-mile in 48.8 seconds. Sandman’s training
schedule was subsequently interrupted because of severe winter weather. Oaklawn
lost eight days of training Jan. 6, 7 and 9-14.

“We’re really happy with the work today,” Torres said. “He
galloped out really nice. Hopefully he shows up next week. The storm came, and
he missed a work. Hopefully it doesn’t bother him. He’s pretty fit, though.
He’s a very athletic horse.”

There were five horses on the work tab Friday who are listed
in either the pari-mutuel Kentucky Derby Future Wager going on nationally via
Churchill Downs and-or the fixed-odds market at Circa Sportsbook in Nevada.

Sandman (Tapit) worked four furlongs in 48.0
seconds at Oaklawn. It was the third fastest of 141 works at the distance. His
previous work was 17 days ago going four furlongs at Oaklawn. In his last start
he won an allowance race going one mile on the main track at Oaklawn on Dec. 13
for trainer Mark Casse.

East Avenue (Medaglia d’Oro), a Grade 1 winner
(2024 Breeders’ Futurity), worked five furlongs in 59.4 seconds at Fair Grounds
on Friday morning. It was the fastest of 44 works at the distance. His previous
work was eight days ago going four furlongs at Fair Grounds. In his last start
he placed ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile going 1 1/16 miles on the main
track at Del Mar on Nov. 1 for trainer Brendan Walsh.

American Promise (Justify) worked five furlongs in 1:02.2 at
Oaklawn. It was the 23rd fastest of 63 works at the distance. His previous work
was nine days ago going five furlongs at Oaklawn. In his last start he won a
maiden race going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Oaklawn on Dec. 29 for
trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Smoken Wicked (Bobby’s Wicked One) worked three
furlongs in 38.2 seconds at Fair Grounds. It was the 19th fastest of 25 works
at the distance. This was his first work since his last race. In his last start
he won the Louisiana Futurity going six furlongs on the main track at Fair
Grounds on Dec. 29 for trainer Dallas Stewart.

Cornucopian (Into Mischief) worked four furlongs in 49.8 seconds at
Santa Anita. It was the 32nd fastest of 57 works at the distance. His previous
work was 28 days ago going four furlongs at Los Alamitos. He has yet to make
his racing debut for trainer Bob Baffert.