Nearly two decades have passed since an Arkansas Derby winner returned to Oaklawn and triumphed as an older horse. This Saturday, Sandman, a 4-year-old, will make his season debut in the fourth race, a 1 1/16-mile allowance event with a $126,000 purse, which could serve as a stepping stone towards the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) scheduled for February 28 at Oaklawn.
Sandman, who hasn’t competed since late August, is seeking his first victory since capturing last March’s $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1). The gray Tapit colt has been off the board in his last four starts, finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby, third in the Preakness, and fifth in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2).
“He’s had a long and demanding season,” said Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. “We raced him throughout the winter and saw some improvement late last summer. After giving him some rest, he has grown and looks strong. Although we face some tough competition, we’re aiming for a solid performance that could set him up well for the Razorback.”
Last season, Sandman won two out of four races at Hot Springs and established a new Oaklawn single-season earnings record of $1.168 million following his Arkansas Derby victory. For his return, Sandman will break from the inside post under jockey Jose Ortiz and is the 2-1 favorite. Notably, he will run on the anti-bleeding medication Lasix for the first time in his career.
The last older horse to win the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn was Lawyer Ron, who won in 2006 for trainer Bob Holthus and came back in 2007 to win the $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) under future Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher. Lawyer Ron went on to claim the 2007 Eclipse Award as North America’s Champion Older Horse.
The estimated post time for the fourth race is 1:32 p.m. CST.
This article originally appeared in the Paulick Report on February 6, 2026, in the News section.
Fan Take: This news is exciting for horse racing enthusiasts because Sandman’s return could mark the resurgence of a top-tier older horse at Oaklawn, adding depth and excitement to the sport. His performance may inspire more trainers to campaign their older horses aggressively, boosting competition and fan engagement in future stakes races.
