Sandman tries to take another step forward in tough spot

The promising Sandman will look to continue his development on Friday when he meets the exciting New York-bred Calling Card in the seventh race at Oaklawn Park. The first-level allowance for 2-year-olds at one mile drew a field of 10.

Sandman was a $1.2 million purchase at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales auction of 2-year-olds in training in March and backed up the purchase price in his second start when he won a maiden special weight at Saratoga in August with a Beyer Speed Figure of 81. In his most recent start, Sandman became Grade 3-placed with a third-place finish in the Street Sense on Oct. 27 at Churchill Downs.

“I feel like there’s more there than we’ve seen,” trainer Mark Casse said of Sandman. “You know, I’ve been impressed by him since the day we got him. I’ve been happy with his performances for the most part, but always feel like there’s more there and I’m hoping we see that on Friday.”

Sandman rallied from next to last in the Street Sense.

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“I thought that he ran very green, did a lot of things wrong, but still ran respectably,” Casse said. “Again, I came away from that race saying, ‘We didn’t see the best Sandman yet.’ ”

“I think he’s a horse that if he goes the right way, could possibly be a Derby prospect. And that’s what we’re hoping for, but he needs to keep improving and he needs to mature. It’s one of the reasons why I elected to keep running him versus giving him a little break. I’m running him more for education than anything.”

Sandman, who is turning back a bit from 1 1/16 miles, will break from post 2 under Cristian Torres.

“We’ll see how it plays out,” Casse said. “I’d say he’s sharp right now, so he shouldn’t be real far from the lead, I would think.”

Sandman topped the first of three sessions of the OBS sale in March and was the overall third-highest seller at the auction. He races for the partnership of D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stables, West Point Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables. He is a son of Tapit and a half-brother to She Can’t Sing, a Grade 3 winner who has earned $883,558.

“He’s a big, beautiful horse,” Casse said. “I mean, when you see him go by, you’ll say, ‘Whoa!’ ”

Calling Card elicited some wows last out when he rolled home by 17 1/4 lengths in a maiden special weight for New York-breds at Aqueduct on Nov. 17. The mile race was his first on dirt after he began his career on turf. Calling Card earned a Beyer of 87, which is the best career number in Friday’s field.

Ramon Vazquez has the mount from post 4. Calling Card is Complexity, who sired last weekend’s Advent winner, Kale’s Angel, who was also piloted by Vazquez.

Calling Card races for Three Diamonds Farm and is trained by Mike Maker.

The field also includes Big Boat, who was third at this level last out at Churchill, and Rio Chama, a son of American Pharoah and a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Secret Spice.

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