Oaklawn Barn Notes: Omaha Beach Favored in Kentucky Derby

By Giselle Torres —-

Coady Photography

Omaha Beach Favored in Kentucky Derby

Two stakes victories at Oaklawn made Rick Porter’s Omaha Beach the possible Kentucky Derby program favorite. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith sticking with the colt probably made Omaha Beach the Kentucky Derby program favorite. A workout Saturday morning at Churchill Downs stamped Omaha Beach the Kentucky Derby program favorite.

“I just wanted him to have one more good work – that’s all he needed,” Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said. “He got it today.”

Breezing in the special 15-minute window reserved for Kentucky Derby/Kentucky Oaks horses, Omaha Beach covered 5 furlongs in :59 over a fast track. It was the second-fastest of 43 works recorded at the distance, topped only by the :58.60 from McKinzie, a multiple Grade 1-winning older horse for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

Omaha Beach worked with Kowboy Karma, a stakes-winning older runner for trainer Larry Jones. Because the work was postponed a day (wet weather), Julien Leparoux breezed Omaha Beach, rather than the Southern California-based Smith, who guided the War Front colt to victories in the second division of the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) March 16 and the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 13.

Kowboy Karma was supposed to be slightly ahead of Omaha Beach when the work began at the 5-furlong pole, but the gelding was on the muscle and instead four lengths in front. Omaha Beach was still able to easily reel in his workmate and was five lengths clear at the finish line. Churchill Downs’ clockers caught Omaha Beach in splits of :12 for his first eighth of a mile, :23.60 for a quarter-mile and :35.40 for 3 furlongs before galloping out 6 furlongs in 1:12.80.

“They were supposed to go off together, but it all worked out fine,” Mandella said. “He went and got him. I really liked that he settled right down after the work. He acts like a professional racehorse. I don’t think this work took much out of him at all. It couldn’t have gone better. It’s all working out just right.”

Omaha Beach was working for the first time since his one-length victory over Improbable in the Arkansas Derby, which was run over a sloppy track. Omaha Beach won the second division of the Rebel by a nose over previously unbeaten 2-year-old champion Game Winner.

“I’m glad to have it done,” Mandella said, referring to Omaha Beach’s major move for the Kentucky Derby. “You need to get past all the obstacles. This is one of the big ones. I’m glad it’s over. I’ve never had a 3-year-old doing this well this early. He’s just special. Since the Rebel, he’s filled out and just gotten better. He’s pure class. And he’s a kind horse. A horse that’s easy to be around.”

After a walk day Sunday, Mandella said Omaha Beach would then likely go back to galloping for the remainder of the week. Post positions for the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby will be drawn Tuesday.

Omaha Beach is among seven Oaklawn-race horses under consideration for the Kentucky Derby, which is limited to 20 starters. If the race oversubscribes, starting preference is given to horses that have accumulated the highest point totals in designated races like the Rebel and Arkansas Derby.

According to Churchill Downs’ official Kentucky Derby leaderboard, Omaha Beach ranks second with 137.5 points. Game Winner is No. 8 (85), Improbable is No. 11 (65), Long Range Toddy is No. 13 (53.5), Cutting Humor is No. 15 (50), Country House is No. 17 (50) and Sueno is No. 23 (32). Sueno would need three defections to make the field, if, as expected, the race oversubscribes.

Long Range Toddy went through Oaklawn’s four-race Kentucky Derby prep series, beating Improbable by a neck in the first division of the Rebel before finishing a disappointing sixth in the Arkansas Derby.

Long Range Toddy is scheduled to have his final work for the Kentucky Derby Monday morning at Churchill Downs for owner Willis Horton of Marshall, Ark., and Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

“Obviously, I’m hoping for dry weather and a fast racetrack,” said Asmussen, Oaklawn’s perennial leading trainer.
“Twenty runners going a mile and a quarter – going to be very nervous for the post-position draw. But he’s a blue-collar horse that will do all he can and just hope he gets a good chance.”

Asmussen said he would prefer Long Range Toddy draw between Nos. 10-14 “because he usually breaks sharp.”
“He would be able to get good position from there,” Asmussen said.

Long Range Toddy also ran second in Oaklawn’s $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 25 and third in the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 18. Sueno finished second in the Southwest for trainer Keith Desormeaux. Cutting Humor was seventh as the Southwest favorite for trainer Todd Pletcher. Country House finished third in the Arkansas Derby for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Game Winner and Improbable are trained by Baffert, a five-time Kentucky Derby winner. He also has a third scheduled starter in Roadster, who, under Smith, won the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (G1) April 6 at Santa Anita.

Omaha Beach is trying to become the fourth Arkansas Derby winner to capture the Kentucky Derby, following Sunny’s Halo (1983), Smarty Jones (2004) and American Pharoah (2015). All three horses also won the Rebel. Smarty Jones and American Pharoah were post-time Kentucky Derby favorites, with Sunny’s Halo the slight second choice.

Mandella, 68, has never won the Kentucky Derby. His best finish with six starters to date, Soul of the Matter, was fifth in 1994.

“I’ve reached a point in my life where I’m happy with what I’ve done,” the Southern California-based Mandella said. “I’m pretty much good with it all. But if I won this race, I’d be happy – very happy. But if I don’t, I’ll survive.”

Asmussen’s Army

Hall of Famer and soon-to-be 10-time Oaklawn training champion Steve Asmussen will be active on the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby cards at Churchill Downs, sending out several stakes winners in Hot Springs.

In addition to first-division Rebel winner Long Range Toddy in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, Asmussen is scheduled to start Lady Apple in Friday’s $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1), She’s a Julie in Friday’s $500,000 La Troienne Stakes (G1), Mitole in Saturday’s $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) and Mia Mischief in Saturday’s $500,000 Humana Distaff Stakes (G1).

Lady Apple emerged as the top 3-year-old filly this year at Oaklawn, capping a 3 for 3 campaign in the $500,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 12. The daughter of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin slipped through along the rail under Ricardo Santana Jr. to win the 1 1/16-mile race by a length over Kentucky Oaks-bound Motion Emotion.

“Lady Apple came through for us in the Fantasy at 9-1 here,” Asmussen said. “She’s 3 for 3 on the year. She’s 2 for 2 in both of her two-turn races. What an opportunity it is to go into the Kentucky Oaks undefeated this year.”

Lady Apple worked a half-mile in :49.80 Sunday morning in preparation for the 1 1/8-mile Oaks, the country’s biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies.

She’s a Julie, in her only start this year, was a powerful winner of the $200,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 18, Oaklawn’s first of two major preps for the $750,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 14. Asmussen also won the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 16 and the Apple Blossom with Midnight Bisou.

Mitole, Oaklawn’s top sprinter this year, will be making his Grade 1 debut in the 7-furlong Churchill Downs. Mitole has won five consecutive starts, including the $150,000 Bachelor Stakes last year at Oaklawn and the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 13. The Count Fleet, contested over a sloppy track, was on the Arkansas Derby undercard.

“Mitole is a very special horse and we are going to give him a chance in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Handicap next Saturday,” Asmussen said. “Great competition, but we have a great horse.”

Mia Mischief won the $150,000 Purple Martin Stakes last year at Oaklawn.

Asmussen saddled two winners Saturday at Oaklawn, stretching his lead in the standings over Robertino Diodoro to 57-45 with four days remaining in the scheduled 57-day meeting.

Only the late Cole Norman – a record 71 victories in 2003 and 62 victories in 2005 – has won more races than Asmussen in a single season at Oaklawn.

Asmussen ($5,128,125 through Saturday) has already shattered his Oaklawn record for single-season purse earnings. Asmussen entered Sunday with 640 career victories at Oaklawn, where he topped the standings in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Nitrous ($12.60) gave Asmussen his 82nd career Oaklawn stakes victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Bachelor for 3-year-old sprinters. Asmussen has won the Bachelor a record six times.

Norman was Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 2001-2006.

Show Him the Money

A triple Saturday for Ricardo Santana Jr. allowed Oaklawn’s perennial riding champion to stretch his lead in the standings and break his single-season record for purse earnings in Hot Springs.

Santana leads David Cohen 70-67 with four days remaining in the scheduled 57-day meeting. Santana and his main client, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, teamed for two victories Saturday, including the $150,000 Bachelor Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters with Nitrous ($12.60).

The $90,000 Bachelor winner’s share pushed Santana’s purse earnings at the meet to $4,245,944, eclipsing his previous record ($4,240,304), set last year.

Santana will need a cushion to capture his seventh consecutive local riding title since he is scheduled to miss the final two days of the meeting (May 3 and May 4) because of commitments at Churchill Downs. Santana is scheduled ride Lady Apple in the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies May 3 and Plus Que Parfait in the Kentucky Derby May 4. Trained by Asmussen, Lady Apple won Oaklawn’s biggest race for 3-year-old fillies, the $500,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 12.

Cohen, seeking his first Oaklawn title, will ride the final four days, his agent, Bill Castle, said.

Raise Your Glass

Mr. Jagermeister’s sharp allowance victory Thursday has co-owner/trainer Valorie Lund plotting her next move for the 2018 Canterbury Park Horse of the Meet.

Lund said Saturday morning that Mr. Jagermeister will be considered for the $50,000 10,000 Lakes Stakes May 18 at Canterbury and the $100,000 Aristides Stakes (G3) June 1 at Churchill Downs. The 10,000 Lakes is restricted to Minnesota-breds, but Mr. Jagermeister showed he could compete in open company Thursday, rolling to a 2 ¾-length victory in the $92,000 sprint. The 4-year-old son of Atta Boy Roy ran 6 furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.56 to give Lund her first career Oaklawn victory.

Mr. Jagermeister was among six horses Lund recently shipped to Oaklawn as her stable shifts from Turf Paradise in Phoenix to Canterbury in suburban Minneapolis for the summer.

“That was a very good race for him,” Lund said. “He likes this track, and he had a pretty good excuse the race before.”
Lund said Mr. Jagermeister came out of a third-place finish in a March 19 allowance race at Turf Paradise with a minor illness. Mr. Jagermeister tuned up for Thursday’s race with a half-mile bullet workout (:47.20) April 19 at Oaklawn.

Lund said the appeal of the 10,000 Lakes is Mr. Jagermeister wouldn’t have to ship and would be facing Minnesota-breds, which he has dominated. He won the race last year by 8 ½ lengths. The Aristides would offer the chance of a first graded stakes victory.

“I think he’ll like that track, also,” Lund said of Churchill Downs. “He takes an awful lot after the sire, who I also trained. That horse loved Churchill Downs, so I think this guy will like it.”

Atta Boy Roy, in 2010, won the $250,000 Churchill Downs Stakes (G2) and ran second in the Aristides.

Finish Lines

Post positions were to be drawn Sunday for two closing-day May 4 stakes races, the $200,000 Arkansas Breeders’ Championship and the $300,000 Oaklawn Invitational. The winner of the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Invitational will receive a free berth into the Preakness – the second leg of the Triple Crown – May 18 at Pimlico … Doors open at 9 a.m. (Central) Friday and Saturday, the final two days of the scheduled 57-day meeting. First post both days is 12:35 p.m. … The famed Budweiser Clydesdales are scheduled to be in attendance Saturday. … Friday’s featured $250,000 Oaklawn Mile drew a field of 11 older horses, including Pioneer Spirit, third in the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 13, and Fight On, winner of the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes April 14. Also entered is Exclamation Point, who will be making his stakes debut after winning five of his first six career starts. … Headland – a 3-year-old Paynter filly for trainer Steve Hobby of Hot Springs – became the second four-time winner at the meet Saturday, beating males in a starter/optional claiming sprint. It was the fifth consecutive victory overall for Headland, who races for Arkansas Racing Commission vice chairman Mark Lamberth and Bill Walmsley, president of the Arkansas division of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. … Bye Bye J, winner of the $100,000 Rainbow Miss Stakes for 3-year-old Arkansas-bred fillies, will be nominated to several upcoming stakes races, including the $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) May 17 at Pimlico, trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs said Friday morning.