Sickness Knocks Slow Down Andy Out of Kentucky Derby

Reddam Racing's Slow Down Andy  is out of the running for the 148th Kentucky Derby after turning up sick according to trainer Doug O'Neill. Horse Racing Nation first reported the colt's removal from the race, citing that it was due to a fever. 

"He got a little sick on us and we're just at a point where it's not a good time to get sick," O'Neill said. "I guess we're not going to make it, but we're super grateful for the run he has put us on. Hopefully there's plenty of good races ahead."

The homebred 3-year-old son of Nyquist   had 60 qualifying points towards earning his spot in the Derby field and was coming off a first-place finish in the March 27 Sunland Park Derby (G3). The colt, currently based with a small division of O'Neill horses at Keeneland, is 3-1-0 from five starts and has earnings of $544,850.

O'Neill says future plans for Slow Down Andy are "up in the air" and that the main focus is to get him healthy. 

With the defection of Slow Down Andy, O'Neill's Derby hopes now lie with Calumet Farm's Happy Jack , a distant third in the April 9 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1). 

O'Neill said the Oxbow 3-year-old could travel to Kentucky as early as next weekend after a workout at Santa Anita Park.

After winning his first start in January, the homebred son of Oxbow   finished fifth in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) Feb. 6 and went on to finish third in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) before the Santa Anita Derby. 

He has 30 qualifying points, a tally that leaves him on the bubble for making the race. The Derby is limited to 20 starters with preference given to horses with the most points.  

Another top horse for O'Neill, Hot Rod Charlie , recently returned to training after time off. His last start was a runner-up finish in the Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1).  

"He looks well and we gave him a couple weeks," O'Neill said. "We just started back under tack and he looks phenomenal so we're super jazzed and pumped for his return. Not really sure where he's going to return but we're pumped to get him back on the track and get him going." 

He shipped to the Middle East this winter, where he won the Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Presented By The Longines Record (G2) in February before his runner-up finish to Country Grammer  in the Dubai World Cup.

The multiple graded stakes-winning 4-year-old has recently been one of O'Neill's more notable horses, recording wins in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) last September, and a fourth-place finish at Del Mar Nov. 6 in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) for owners Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, Strauss Bros Racing, and Gainesway Thoroughbreds.