OMAHA BEACH LANDS KENTUCKY DERBY SPOT IN ARKANSAS DERBY
Fox Hill Farms’ Omaha Beach entered Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) in a Cluttered Oaklawn Park needing to secure a beachhead at the Kentucky Derby (G1), Also Struck the target below masterful steering by Hall of Famer Mike Smith.
The little 8-5 favorite repelled 9-5 second choice Improbable to earn 100 points in the last scoring race, bringing his Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella closer to a first Derby decoration. Omaha Beach was staving off a Bob Baffert beast for its second straight time at Oaklawn Park. Last outside, it had been hitherto unbeaten champion Game Winner who could not quite get past him at the next division of this Rebel (G2). Omaha Beach garnered 37.5 things there, thanks to the splitting of the race, and that put him right about the bubble going into the final round of points races. Omaha Beach is now the combined $8 favorite for the 2019 Kentucky Derby with online bookmaker Bet365. Improbable was in a much more perilous scenario with 25 points, after being upset in the first Rebel branch by Long Range Toddy. Adding blinkers for the rematch from the Arkansas Derby, the Baffert trainee whined up in the gate, had to be backed out, and reloaded. Although he broke nicely on the rail, he hurried farther back than might have been anticipated from the opening quarter-mile, and might not have been completely in love with the slop. Meanwhile, Omaha Beach, whose slop proficiency had been established in his Santa Anita maiden romp, was going through an impressive set of gears to boost his position . Initially on the inside, Smith expertly maneuvered him out to the very clear and sent him following longshot leader One Flew South. Omaha Beach expended energy to take control on the backstretch, but nevertheless had abundant strategic reserve when Improbable loomed to challenge turning for home. The battle was on between the two top Kentucky Derby contenders in the race, with the remaining portion of the area out of perspective, and Omaha Beach never looked like being overrun. Withstanding the siege of Improbable, he counterattacked by discovering more in deep stretch and held sway with a length. The cleverly named son of War Front splashed 1??1/8 miles in 1:49.91 and upped his points overall to 137.5, second overall on the leaderboard to Tacitus (150). «My initial thought was,’Jeez, do not move too quick,»’ Mandella said,»and then I thought,’Don’t be second-guessing Mike Smith’ — among the greatest of all times. Just appreciate having him can’t tell you just how much I appreciate this horse and his owner (Rick Porter). We’d already ran in the slop at home, so that wasn’t a lot of concern. He’s a really tractable horse. I don’t think we need to select a surface» BEST BOOKMAKERS FOR HORSE RACING Smith credited Omaha Beach along with his trainer. «Mr. Mandella has been instructing him at the morning to break off strong and then relax,» Smith stated. «He did just that. Picked a wonderful little spot and remained right there. His cruising speed just takes him up there. I just basically tried to remain out of way. He’s doing is to simple, I am better off allowing him fighting him.» Improbable garnered 40 points since the runner-up, boosting his total to 65 and consequently guaranteeing himself a Derby berth as well. Watch to find out if Baffert decides to keep the blinkers on, or take them off. Country House made a sustained move to get a clutch third, good for 20 points that also elevate him into the Derby with 50 all informed. Laughing Fox’s fourth netted him 10 points, his one and only revealing on the points list. Next came Galilean; Long Range Toddy, who made nothing here but nevertheless has enough (53.5 points) to create the Derby field; Jersey Agenda; Tikhvin Flew; Gray Attempt; Six Shooter; and One Flew South. Omaha Beach has enhanced since shifting from turf to dirt. Now the winner of three straight, he sports a complete record of 7-3-3-1, along with the $600,000 winner’s check made him a millionaire with earnings of $1,121,800. Bred by Charming Syndicate at Kentucky, Omaha Beach is a half-brother to winner Take Charge Brandi, the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner, and a Complete brother to Irish Group 1-placed Courage Under Fire. They are from this Seeking the Gold mare Charming, herself a half champion Will Take Charge and Grade 1 scorer Take Charge Indy. Blond is a daughter of multiple Grade 1 queen, $2.4 million-earner, and Broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady. Fox Hill’s Rick Porter has just had a few World War II-inspired horses operate well in defeat at the Derby, with Battle of Midway third in 2017 and Normandy Invasion creating a huge move before ending up fourth in 2013. Omaha Beach, picking up the Normandy theme, may surpass them both. By beating both Game Winner and Improbable, he’s said his case to be the potential Derby favorite. Omaha Beach’s possible favoritism hinges upon if Smith opts to stay with him in Derby 145 — he just rode Baffert’s Roadster to a Santa Anita Derby (G1) victory over Game Winner. «It’s a lovely decision to have,» Smith said of the Omaha Beach versus Roadster option. «We are going to go back and see how everybody comes back and proceed from there. Evaluate the Circumstance. Then my agent is likely to make the choice. That is why I pay him.» Read more: http://sscommcorp.com/anthony-joshuas-team-has-already-identified-ideal-sparring-partners-ahead-of-andy-ruiz-jr-rematch/