Oaklawn Barn Notes: It Was Just Another Day At The Beach

By Giselle Torres —-

It Was Just Another Day At The Beach

Hours after Omaha Beach’s future home was revealed, Oaklawn’s Arkansas Derby and second-division Rebel winner was installed the 4-1 morning line favorite the $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Omaha Beach was among six Oaklawn-raced horses entered Tuesday morning for the 145th Run for the Roses, the first leg of racing’s Triple Crown. The War Front colt, owned by Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farm and trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, drew post 12 in the projected 20-horse field.

“When he got down there with two spots left, 12 or 3, I was preferring the 12 and it worked out that way,” said Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who will be riding Omaha Beach for the third consecutive time Saturday. “If I was at 3, I’d probably have to be pretty aggressive. The 12, not as, but I’m still going to be. Actually, 3 is my favorite number, but 12, strategy-wise, was the place to be.”

Mandella, nodding toward Smith, was pleased with the post draw.

“He’s happy so you know I’m happy,” Mandella said. “It’s good.”

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 also won the Rebel, Oaklawn’s final major prep for the Arkansas Derby.

The Southern California-based Omaha Beach won the second division of the $750,000 Rebel (G2) March 16 by a nose over Game Winner, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s previously unbeaten 2-year-old champion. Omaha Beach returned to Oaklawn to win the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 13 by a length over Improbable, another Baffert trainee.

Mandella, 68, is seeking his first Kentucky Derby victory. His best finish with six starters to date, Soul of the Matter, was fifth in 1994.

Smarty Jones and American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby as post-time favorites, with Sunny’s Halo the slight second choice.

In addition to Game Winner and Improbable, Baffert has a third horse entered – Roadster – but linemaker Mike Battaglia made Omaha Beach the program choice. Smith won the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (G1) April 6 at Santa Anita aboard Roadster, but he stuck with Omaha Beach for the Kentucky Derby.

“When Bob’s got three horses in here and Mike Smith, of course, he goes and takes Omaha Beach, I think that was a big factor,” Battaglia said, referring to program favoritism.

Baffert is seeking a record-tying sixth Kentucky Derby victory. Game Winner (post 16) is the 5-1 second choice on the morning line. Improbable (5) is the early 6-1 co-third choice with Roadster. Improbable removes blinkers after racing in the equipment for the first time in the Arkansas Derby.

Other Oaklawn-raced horses entered include first-division Rebel winner Long Range Toddy for Hall of Famer and perennial Oaklawn training champion Steve Asmussen and owner Willis Horton of Marshall, Ark. Long Range Toddy, 30-1 in the program, is scheduled to break from post 18 under 2000 Oaklawn riding champion Jon Court.

“It wasn’t what I wanted, but it will be all right,” Horton said. “He has enough tactical speed out of the gate. As long as he breaks good, he’ll have a quarter mile until the first turn to get himself into position. We’ll probably be sitting right behind the speed.”

Horton’s Will Take Charge finished a troubled eighth in the 2013 Kentucky Derby before being named the country’s champion 3-year-old male. Will Take Charge also won the Rebel.

The two other Oaklawn-raced horses entered are Cutting Humor (30-1), who finished seventh as the favorite in the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 18, and Arkansas Derby third Country House. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Cutting Humor drew post 10.

Country House (30-1) is scheduled to break from post 20 for Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1986.
Probable post time for the Kentucky, the 12th of 14 races, is 5:50 p.m. (Central).

Earlier Tuesday it was announced Kentucky’s Spendthrift Farm had entered into an agreement with Porter to secure the breeding rights to Omaha Beach. According to a news release, Omaha Beach will continue to be campaigned by Porter and Mandella before he retires to Spendthrift upon completion of his racing career.

Omaha Beach has a 3-3-1 record from seven lifetime starts and earnings of $1,121,800.

Apple in the Oaks

Three Oaklawn-raced horses are entered in the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies Friday at Churchill Downs.

The trio is headed by Lady Apple, who emerged as the top 3-year-old filly at Oaklawn with a one-length victory in the $500,00 Fantasy Stakes (G3) April 12. A daughter of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, Lady Apple was 3 for 3 in Hot Springs for Hall of Famer and perennial Oaklawn training champion Steve Asmussen.

Lady Apple (20-1 on the morning line) is scheduled to break from post 3 under perennial Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr.

Also entered in the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks are Fantasy runner-up Motion Emotion (15-1) and Chocolate Kisses (20-1), winner of the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) March 9 at Oaklawn. Motion Emotion was also second in the Honeybee.
Probable post time for the Kentucky Oaks, the country’s biggest race for 3-year-old fillies, is 5:12 p.m. (Central).

Hot Springs in Louisville
In addition to the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, numerous other Oaklawn stakes winners are entered in stakes races Friday and Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Friday’s list includes Break Even in the $250,000 Eight Belles (G2), Hawaakom in the $400,000 Alysheba (G2) and She’s a Julie in the $500,000 La Troienne (G1).

Saturday features Mia Mischief and Amy’s Challenge in the $500,000 Humana Distaff (G1) and Mitole, Uncontested and Whitmore in the $500,000 Churchill Downs (G1).