Slow Down Andy Upsets Messier in Los Alamitos Futurity
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Slow Down Andy defeats Messier in the Los Alamitos Futurity
Paul and Zillah Reddam, the leading California breeders of the past three years, brought California-bred Slow Down Andy to the Dec. 11 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) and defeated Messier , the 1-2 favorite. It was the Reddams' first win in a race that they sponsored for many years when it was run at defunct Hollywood Park as the CashCall Futurity.
Still learning in only his third start, Reddam Racing's Slow Down Andy not only had to go up against a Bob Baffert powerhouse in Messier, he exhibited greenness in the stretch that could have cost him the win in the $300,000 race.
Just five runners lined up for the 1 1/16-mile Futurity, a race Baffert had won in each of the seven years that it has been conducted at Los Alamitos. Baffert had Messier and Barossa in the race, with Barossa the second choice at 3-1.
Slow Down Andy, the third choice at 5-1, drew the outside post, and when the gate opened, he came out last of the compact field. Longshot Olympic Legend , on the rail, went to the lead, with Durante in second just outside of him and Messier in third.
Messier raced a little wide down the backstretch and at one point put his head in front. Olympic Legend retook the lead briefly, but into the second turn, he began backpedaling, leaving Durante and Messier on the front end.
Meanwhile, Slow Down Andy sped up for jockey Mario Gutierrez and began to pass horses.
Messier grabbed the lead again past the three-eighths pole, setting up what would be a two-way battle with Slow Down Andy, who edged him in upper stretch.
"When I saw the opening going to the turn, I sent him and he responded," said Gutierrez.
Paul Reddam (gray blazer) thanks Mario Gutierrez as Zillah Reddam looks on after winning the Los Alamitos Futurity
Slow Down Andy ran greenly and lugged in and bumped Messier, who regained the advantage yet again.
"I think he was just playing around in the stretch," Gutierrez said. "When Messier got back in front of him, he regained his focus and showed his heart."
Slow Down Andy edged ahead of Messier and went on to score by a length, stopping the timer in 1:42.33. It was nine lengths back to third-place and wide-racing Barossa.
"Down the stretch it looked like we had it, and then we didn't, and then we did, so it was very exciting," said trainer Doug O'Neill.
O'Neill trained champion Nyquist , the sire of Slow Down Andy, for the Reddams. The conditioner debuted Slow Down Andy at Santa Anita Oct. 9, the colt winning a Cal-bred maiden event at 5 1/2 furlongs by 4 3/4 lengths. Returning a month later at Del Mar in the Nov. 5 Golden State Juvenile Stakes, another state-bred event, Slow Down Andy finished second to Finneus , a more seasoned multiple graded stakes-placed runner, after threatening to win in midstretch.
The Los Alamitos Futurity was a big step up, into open and graded competition, but Paul Reddam had urged the team to try it. Though the Reddams hadn't won the race, as recently as 2016 their Irap at 23-1 finished second to Baffert-trained Mastery .
"If it was up to me, we would have run in the California-bred race tomorrow (the King Glorious Stakes)," admitted O'Neill. "It was strictly Paul wanting to take a chance and having faith in Slow Down Andy, and thank God he did."
Slow Down Andy's connections enjoy the trophy presentation for the Los Alamitos Futurity
Paul Reddam is not only responsible for Slow Down Andy's participation, he has put together the colt's entire pedigree. Nyquist, the 2015 champion 2-year-old male, won the 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) for the Reddams.
"The fact that he is by Nyquist is kind of icing on the cake," Paul Reddam told TVG.
What a fun interview with the connections here of G2 Los Alamitos Futurity winner #5 Slow Down Andy!
Thank you owner Paul Reddam, jockey @_MGutierrez_, trainer @dougoneill1 for taking time to speak with @britneyeurton after the big win! Catch all the post-race reaction here! pic.twitter.com/u5Z7xzadgv— TVG (@TVG) December 12, 2021
Slow Down Andy is out of the Reddam homebred mare Edwina E , a daughter of now-pensioned Square Eddie . Much of the Reddams' California breeding totals of the past few years lead straight back to Square Eddie, who sired many of the runners.
Edwina E has produced four foals, three winners, and with Saturday's success, now two stakes winners. Her unraced foal in a yearling colt by I'll Have Another , another Derby winner for Slow Down Eddie's connections.
Slow Down Andy earned 10 qualifying points with the Futurity part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, and fourth-place Durante , also trained by O'Neill, picked up one point. The two Baffert trainees did not amass any points under rules instituted by Churchill Downs Inc. that prevent horses trained by suspended trainers from tallying points in their series. Acting as a track owner, CDI suspended Baffert from its tracks through the middle of 2023.