By Bloodhorse.com
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. (Mar. 27, 2022) — A change in tactics and the addition of blinkers provided the winning formula March 27 for Reddam Racing’s Slow Down Andy in the $500,000 Sunland Park Derby (G3) at Sunland Park.
The California-bred son of Nyquist was entering the Sunland Park Derby off a discouraging sixth-place effort in the Feb. 19 Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in his sophomore debut. In the Risen Star, jockey Mario Gutierrez admitted he wrangled down the headstrong chestnut colt a little too much early on in the race, and the chestnut lacked the closing punch he had shown as a 2-year-old when capturing the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2).
Bet down as the 6-5 favorite in the field of eight, Slow Down Andy and the speedy Straight Up G took command in the first 50 yards, locking horns as they zipped through an opening quarter in :22.30. Jungle Racing’s Straight Up G, the front running victor of the Mine That Bird Derby over the same course Feb. 27, gained a narrow advantage, posting a half-mile in :45.35 but was soon overcome by Slow Down Andy as they charged into the bend.
As Straight Up G retreated, Slow Down Andy was soon met with a new challenger at the top of the lane in the form of the locally-based Bye Bye Bobby . Drifting out to the five-path coming into the stretch, forcing Bye Bye Bobby to the center of the track, Slow Down Andy raced erratically in the final two furlongs, lugging in at the eighth pole before being corrected while still holding on resiliently over his stubborn rival.
“(Slow Down Andy) showed a lot of courage today,” said Gutierrez after the race. “We were a part of some really fast fractions and I didn’t think he could get there but he dug deep and he got the job done.”
The two runners had opened up 8 1/2 lengths on third place finisher Pepper Spray under the wire.
Prevailing by a half-length in a thrilling finish to the first running of the Sunland Park Derby in over two years, Slow Down Andy ($4.40) completed the 1 1/8-miles in 1:50.16 on a fast track.
Winchell Thoroughbreds and L & N Racing’s Classic Moment , positioned mid-pack early, was pulled up in the stretch and vanned off following the race.
“The pace was a little fast but I chose not to fight (Slow Down Andy) today and things worked out,” said Gutierrez. “That horse on the outside was very game and my horse was slowing down a bit but then we changed leads and he got a second wind. I think a very, very special person was looking out for me today. There is a guy (owner/trainer Glen Todd) that I owe a lot to in Vancouver. He passed away last night and I found out at 2:00 in the morning, so rest in peace.”
Slow Down Andy gave trainer Doug O’Neill his third Sunland Park Derby title, having won the race in 2003 with Excessivepleasure and in 2005 with eventual Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner Thor’s Echo, both California-breds.
With his Sunland Park Derby win, Slow Down Andy has vaulted up to fourth place on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 60 points, likely securing his starting slot on the first Saturday in May. Bye Bye Bobby and Pepper Spray, not nominated towards the Triple Crown, earned no points in the 85-point Derby prep.
O’Neill and Gutierrez partnered up to win the Bill Thomas Memorial Stakes earlier on the card with Team Merchants , a 4-year-old full brother to Slow Down Andy. A third generation homebred for Paul Reddam, Slow Down Andy is out of the Square Eddie mare Edwina E, who’s youngest progeny to date is an unraced 2-year-old colt by Reddam’s 2012 Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another .
Two races earlier on the card, Samuel Henderson’s homebred Cleopatras Charge pulled the longest upset in Sunland Park Oaks history when she powered by her rivals late for a three-quarter-length victory in the $300,000 race.
With only a $25,000 maiden win to her credit, the daughter of Will Take Charge was completely dismissed by the betting public in the 1 1/16-mile dirt contest for sophomore fillies. When the gates opened, the dynamics of the race quickly changed when second choice Queen of Thorns fell to her knees at the start, dropping rider Victor Espinoza in the process.
Manorelli , second in Sunland’s Island Fashion Stakes last time out, blazed to the front, setting a quick tempo of :21.35 and :46.28. The pacesetter opened up three lengths at the top of the lane, past six furlongs in 1:11.15 while Cleopatras Charge, who had trailed the field down the backside, was finally beginning to roll. Weaving her way past horses under jockey Jorge Carreno, Cleopatras Charge hit a new gear inside the eighth pole, surging past Manorelli in the shadow of the wire.
Trained by Gary Cross, Cleopatras Charge stopped the clock in 1:46.33 on a fast main track.
Ali Alley , a 35-1 longshot herself, rallied late to get up for second, a head in front of a tiring Manorelli in third. Favored Optionality was in contention early but faded in the stretch to finish fifth.
The $1 exacta paid a whopping $1,609.40 while Cleopatras Charge paid $161.40 from a $2 win ticket.
An 85-point qualifying race towards the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), Cleopatras Charge and Ali Alley were ineligible for points as they were not nominated for the Oaks. Manorelli, however, earned 10 points and currently sits in a tie for 19th on the leaderboard.
Bred in Kentucky, Cleopatras Charge is out of the Smart Strike mare Cleopatra’s Finest. The dam of four winners from four offspring to race, Cleopatra’s Finest hails from the family of Canadian Horse of the Year Quiet Resolve and Canadian classic winner Quiet Cleo. She foaled a colt by Maclean’s Music this year.