I'ld try wiping the blank down with rubbing alcohol...
If that doesn't work, sanding laterally (along the spindle length) could help clean up the appearance of the wood... You may want to go ahead and seal it if you can clean it up, and then continue with the sanding process.
You may also want to look up and practice techniques involving the skew, which can put a near-finished surface on your projects that require very little sanding
If I were faced with an issue like this, my approach would be ....
Turn spindle round with roughing gouge, then to near diameter with 1/2 inch bowl gouge (my favorite, I have good control with it).
Then, pull out my skew and carefully go along the top of my spindle to take very light cuts and leave a very smooth surface behind, taking it down to the bushings.
Apply some rubbing alcohol to a pad and wipe the surface as it's spinning at low speed, wait for it to dry (dust removal).
Apply Minwax Stain and Seal (natural color) with a pad as it's spinning at low speed, immediately followed by 2 coats of superglue. (the first coat dries almost instantly).
Sand back the superglue (which has filled the pores in the wood) till I can barely see the bare wood again, and do my finish sanding up to 1000 grit.
Re-apply the Minwax and Superglue, add an additional 5 - 8 coats of superglue (your preference, here, as you may want to do a finish other than CA, of course).
Sand wet from 1000 grit (jump to micromesh) up to 12,000 grit (I stop to sand out the radial lines every few grits), buff with PlastX and apply Turtlewax Hard Surface Wax on top...
Now ... some of this might help you, some of it might not. Learn what you can of every process and method, and use what works right for you!