It seems like Bob Baffert just can’t catch a break. He was really looking forward to being back at Churchill Downs, and he’s got two horses lined up for the race. So, Rodriguez had to deal with a last-minute scratch because of a foot injury, but the trainer was still holding out hope for the horse to compete in the Preakness Stakes. So, here’s the thing? Baffert is dealing with a similar situation in the upcoming $2 million purse race as well.
It looks like Rodriguez isn’t going to race, which means Baffert is left with just Goal Oriented. But things get tricky as more rivals come into the picture. On X, Racing Dudes announced that Sandman is set to run in the Preakness Stakes, quoting trainer Mark Casse: “I always quote Allen Jerkens, ‘Run ‘em when they’re good,’ and he’s good right now. We were planning on waiting for the Belmont, but a lot of things can happen in between. He’s telling us he’s happy so we’re going to go with it.”
Casse jumped at the chance, quoting the legendary horse trainer Allen Jerkens, and shared that Sandman would make the most of his strong form by competing right away at the Preakness instead of holding off for the Belmont. It really couldn’t come at a worse time for Bob Baffert.
Sandman to run in Preakness Stakes!
Mark Casse said: “I always quote Allen Jerkens, ‘Run ‘em when they’re good,’ and he’s good right now. We were planning on waiting for the Belmont, but a lot of things can happen in between. He’s telling us he’s happy so we’re going to go with…
— Racing Dudes (@racing_dudes) May 10, 2025
With Rodriguez out, he’s missing one of his key players for a Preakness field that’s shaping up to be even tougher now that Sandman is coming in at peak form. It’s a tough turn of events that really highlights how fast things can change during the Triple Crown season — and it has Baffert racing to rethink his plans at such an important time in the racing calendar. What’s the story behind Sandman?
Bob Baffert has a tough rival in the race
With Mark Casse at the helm, Sandman has had quite the journey, racking up 9 starts that include 3 wins, 1 second-place finish, and 2 third-place finishes, bringing in more than $1.25 million. He really made a mark by winning the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in March 2025, showing that he could be a serious contender for the Kentucky Derby.
So, right from the get-go, Sandman ran into some trouble when he bumped into a rival, which set him back in the field. Even with that, he pulled off a big comeback to end up in seventh place. Casse mentioned that the colt was having a bit of trouble with the track at first, and that really impacted how he performed.
At first, the idea was to target Sandman for the Belmont Stakes. Seeing how well the colt is doing and how happy he is, Casse chose to enter him in the Preakness Stakes instead. Sandman’s background, past performances, and current state really set him up as a strong contender for the upcoming Preakness Stakes. We’ll just have to wait and see if he can pose any challenge to the Bob Baffert-trained horse, Goal Oriented, in the G1 event.
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