Running in the Preakness Stakes had not originally been on Mark Casse’s radar for Sandman. However, the Arkansas Derby winner’s upbeat energy and the removal of several key contenders from the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve from Preakness consideration prompted the Hall of Fame trainer to re-analyze whether or not he should run in the second jewel of the Triple Crown May 17 at Pimlico.

“Right after I said we weren’t going to run, I started analyzing it,” Casse said. “(Churchill Downs-based assistant trainer) Allen Hardy, who’s been with me for 15 years and knows (Sandman) well was telling me, ‘Mark, he’s better than before the Derby.’“

Sandman gallops at Pimlico. (Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club)

Casse reports that Sandman has emerged from his seventh-place effort in the May 3 Kentucky Derby happy, eating well, and jumping around; all signs to him that he will be ready to run off two weeks’ rest.

Casse has had plenty of success on short rest. Classic Empire returned from the Derby to run a caught-at-the-wire second in the 2017 Preakness while War of Will bounced out of the Derby to win the Preakness in 2019. Additionally, Casse trained Shamrock Rose to victories in the Raven Run Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on two weeks’ rest in 2018 and Got Stormy had one week between a De La Rose Stakes victory and a course-record-setting triumph against males in the Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga Race Course in 2019.

“We’ve had pretty good luck coming back in a couple weeks,” Casse said. “It doesn’t scare me at all.”

What could potentially scare Casse is the forecast for Baltimore. With rain predicted for each day this week, it could lead to a sloppy Pimlico surface May 17 just like Sandman faced at Churchill Downs two weeks prior. On that track, Casse felt the son of Tapit never got a chance to run his best race as he was near the rear of the field getting pelted by mud.

“There’s nothing that can prepare a horse for 19 horses throwing mud at him,” Casse said. “People don’t realize, but the farther back you are, the harder it hits you. If you can stay very close, the mud doesn’t have enough time to really impact. I knew we were in trouble past the wire the first time.”

Casse said a sloppy track on race day again is a concern given the Derby loss, not knowing whether Sandman didn’t like the mud in general or if he would run better on it without being pelted by so much kickback.

“That’s the most frustrating thing of all as a horse trainer,” Casse said. “You work every day your entire life, you develop these horses, and then you get hit with uncertainty. Any trainer – at least this trainer – when he runs in a race, he can accept the results. You just want a fair shot. If our horse isn’t good enough, then he’s just not good enough.”

Casse speaks with reporters at Churchill Downs. (Eclipse Sportswire)

One thing that is certain is the field he will run against. Among them is Santa Anita Derby winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up Journalism. Casse said he sees Journalism among the four top horses in the 3-year-old division; the others being Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty, third-place finisher Baeza, and potentially Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino winner Rodriguez if he gets the chance to prove himself after recovering from a foot injury.

“I put (Sandman) there, but these are the four,” Casse said. “These are the guys that when you go to the race, you have to beat them.”

Rodriguez was under consideration for the Preakness after scratching from the Derby. Ultimately, his foot had not recovered in time to enter and his defection from the race May 9 was the event that ultimately pushed Casse to his May 10 announcement that Sandman would enter the field.

“I’ve always said you can’t stay away from one horse because a lot of things can happen,” Casse said. “I’m not saying there’s not other horses (in the Preakness) that can win, but they still have to prove they belong with that tier. To me, we’re going in with one horse (Journalism) who’s the head of the class versus the four. That’s why we’re here.”

But Casse will have one thing working in Sandman’s favor for the Preakness that he didn’t have in the Derby.

Sandman is named after the Metallica song, “Enter Sandman.” Casse had a chance to meet Metallica’s James Hetfield during Derby week and got a signed hat for a friend of his that lives in Ocala, Fla.

“He’s a huge fan, so I got him a signed hat and gave it to him,” Casse said. “He sent me a pair of Metallica underwear and I will be wearing them.

“There will be no stone unturned.”