From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Sept. 30, 2023)—Breaking like a shot on wet-fast track, Reddam Racing’s homebred Slow Down Andy never did, taking eight rivals on a merry chase en route to a smashing 2 ¼ length victory in Santa Anita’s Grade I Awesome Again Stakes, final steppingstone to the Grade I, $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic here on Nov. 4.
Trained by Doug O’Neill and ridden by Mario Gutierrez, the 4-year-old California-bred colt by 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist got a mile and one eighth in 1:47.62.
“(He) ate up a full feed tub and is doing great this morning,” said Leandro Mora, assistant for trainer Doug O’Neill, said on Sunday.
Slow Down Andy won the 1 1/8-mile Awesome Again by 2 ¼ lengths as the 2-1 favorite under Mario Gutierrez, earning a 101 Beyer Speed Figure. The victory was his first since winning the GII Del Mar Derby on turf last September and his first-ever Grade I score. In three previous starts this year, the 4-year-old Nyquist colt was third in the GI Pacific Classic, second in the GII San Diego Handicap and off-the-board in the GI Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on July 29.
Third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland, Slow Down Andy this year will target the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 ¼ miles after earning a fees-paid berth through the Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” Challenge Race qualifier.
“We are in for the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” said breeder/owner Paul Reddam.
On what turned out to be a spectacular afternoon, Slow Down Andy cut a striking figure as he kept both Defunded and National Treasure at bay to his outside around the far turn and he proved much the best late in an effort that suggested he’ll be plenty tough at a mile and one quarter.
“He’s always a good breaker,” said jockey Mario Gutierrez. “I think we took advantage of the good, clean break. He relaxed. I tried not to fight him, sometimes I fight him and he gives me his head, so my goal today was to let him run comfortable and it paid off.
“He’s becoming better with age. You can see it on his record. His last few races he’s just given us his all. Right now, he’s fit, he’s ready to run in the Breeders’ Cup.”
“First of all he is a super easy horse to train and I have to thank the people at OBR (Ocean Breeze Racing),” said O’Neill. “Zillah (Reddam) does a lot of work along with Ocean Breeze, Carlos and Casey they do such a wonderful job. If they are all like him, it is about as easy as a job as you can get. He just goes out there and gives 100 percent every morning exercising. Tony Romero gets on him, he used to get on the great Lava Man and he says this horse is very special. Just to get a Grade I for Paul, Zillah, and for Andy and OBR it is really special.”
Out of Reddam Racing’s Square Eddie mare Edwina E, Slow Down Andy notched his first Grade I win and his third graded score from an overall mark of 14-5-4-3. With the winner’s share of $180,000, he increased his earnings to $1,276,600.
Off at 7-2 with Edwin Maldonado up, Defunded kept to his task gamely and finished one length in front of Senor Buscador, returning $4.60 and $3.40.
With Geovanni Franco up, Senor Buscador was off at 8-1 and paid $4.40 while finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of National Treasure.
Fractions, all set by the winner, were 22.97, 46.91, 1:10.59 and 1:34.92.