Slow Down Andy en route to Keeneland to prepare for Kentucky Derby

Sunland Park Derby winner Slow Down Andy was traveling to Kentucky on Tuesday to begin preparations for the Kentucky Derby, according to his trainer, Doug O’Neill.

Slow Down Andy picked up 50 points for the Kentucky Derby on Sunday with his win in the Sunland Derby. Slow Down Andy also has 10 points from his win in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December and ranks fourth on the current points leaderboard with 60.

Slow Down Andy earned a 86 Beyer Speed Figure in the Sunland Derby.

“He’s on a van heading to Keeneland,” O’Neill said Tuesday. “He’ll train out of Keeneland and May 7 is our target date – the Kentucky Derby. We’re so excited.”

Slow Down Andy is a son of Nyquist owned by Reddam Racing. O’Neill trained Nyquist at Keeneland prior to his 2016 win in the Kentucky Derby. The horse shipped to Keeneland off a win in the Florida Derby.

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Mario Gutierrez was aboard Nyquist in the Kentucky Derby and will have the mount on Slow Down Andy, said O’Neill.

Reddam Racing, O’Neill, and Gutierrez also teamed to win the 2012 Kentucky Derby with I’ll Have Another.

O’Neill has two horses pointing for the upcoming Santa Anita Derby, Happy Jack for Calumet Farm and Win the Day for Boat Racing, Fritz Brothers Racing, and William Strauss.

- additional reporting by Jay Privman