By DRF.com
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Apr. 16, 2022) — California-bred Slow Down Andy has been withdrawn from consideration for the Kentucky Derby after recently spiking a temperature at Keeneland, trainer Doug O’Neill confirmed Saturday morning.
Slow Down Andy had made the 20-horse cutoff for the May 7 Derby by winning the March 27 Sunland Derby, but the Nyquist colt missed a scheduled workout here this weekend after taking ill. The news was first reported by Horse Racing Nation.
Slow Down Andy is owned by breeder Reddam Racing and has been ridden in every race by Mario Gutierrez in compiling a 3-for-5 record that also includes a victory in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December. Reddam, O’Neill, and Gutierrez have teamed to win two prior runnings of the Kentucky Derby, in 2012 with I’ll Have Another and in 2016 with Nyquist.
The removal of Slow Down Andy from the Derby top 20 assures a spot for Charge It and Tawny Port (40 points each) in the Churchill Downs starting gate. Tawny Port is among the 11 runners in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes today at Keeneland, where five other Lexington starters also have earned at least 10 points. Those other runners in the Lexington, the final points qualifier (20-8-4-2), are In Due Time (20 points), Ethereal Road (20), Major General (10), Dash Attack (10), and Call Me Midnight (10).