Sandman (foaled February 27, 2022) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Grade I Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in 2025 as a three-year-old.
Background Sandman is a gray colt that was bred in Kentucky by Robert Lothenbach of Lothenbach Stables. He was sired by Tapit, the leading sire in the US in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Tapit stands at Gainesway Farm for $185,000 as of 2025. Sandman is out of the Distorted Humor mare Distorted Music and is owned by D. J. Stable, St Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds, and CJ Stables. He is also partially owned by social media influencer Griffin Johnson. Sandman's dam Distorted Music has produced three winners including She Can't Sing, who won the Grade III Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs in 2022.
Sandman was sold for $1,200,000 at the 2024 Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training on consignment as part of a complete dispersal for his breeder, Lothenbach Stables. The dispersal followed Bob Lothenbach of Lothenbach Stables' death in November 2023 at age 64.
A recent dispute over the naming of Sandman may prove that Sandman was named after a common advert slogan used in a commercial for the Waterbed Emporium–"Tell 'em the Sandman sent ya!". The Waterbed Emporium is a famous furniture retailer based in Cleveland, Ohio, which has links to the family of former Guns N' Roses drummer, Steven Adler. Social media influencers claim Sandman was named for the 1991 Metallica song "Enter Sandman" as a nod to Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera's entrance song.
Statistics Date Distance Race Grade Track Odds Field Finish WinningTime Winning(Losing)Margin Jockey Ref2024 – Two-year-old season 6 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Churchill Downs 1.04* 7 5 1:09.97 ( lengths) 7 furlongs Maiden Special Weight Saratoga 2.05 7 1 1:23.62 lengths 1 mileIroquois Stakes III Churchill Downs 5.21 11 5 1:36.08 (10 lengths) miles Street Sense Stakes III Churchill Downs 2.70 9 3 1:43.86 ( lengths) 1 mile Allowance Optional Claiming Oaklawn Park 1.60* 9 1 1:38.71 lengths 2025 – Three-year-old season milesSouthwest Stakes III Oaklawn Park 6.40 9 2 1:45.86 (1 length) miles Rebel Stakes II Oaklawn Park 2.50* 13 3 1:43.01 ( lengths) miles Arkansas Derby I Oaklawn Park 3.70 9 1 1:50.08 lengths miles Kentucky Derby I Churchill Downs 5.77 19 7 2:02.31 (12 lengths) miles Preakness Stakes IPimlico 6.40 9 3 1:55.47 ( lengths) miles Jim Dandy Stakes II Saratoga 6.70 5 5 1:49.52 ( lengths) miles Nashville Derby III Kentucky Downs 7.53 12 9 2:06.76 (13 lengths) 2026 – Four-year-old seasonFebruary 7, 2026 milesAllowance Optional ClaimingOaklawn Park7.30151:44.04( Lengths)Jose OrtizFebruary 28. 2026 milesRazorback HandicapIIIOaklawn Park3.20661:42.1(18 Lengths)Cristian Torres
Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Sandman was the post-time favorite.
Pedigree
*Sandman is inbred 3S x 4D to the stallion Unbridled, meaning that he appears third generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.
* Sandman is inbred 4S x 5S x 4D x 5D to the stallion Mr. Prospector, meaning that he appears in the fourth and fifth generation (via Fappiano) on the sire side of his pedigree and the fourth and fifth generation (via It's In The Air) on the dam side of his pedigree.
References