Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach ran well in all three of his starts as a juvenile in 2018, finishing third in his debut, second by a nose, and then second by a neck, with each race held at a mile or longer. He then ran second by a half-length in his 3-year-old bow at one mile.

A promising colt from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, Omaha Beach shipped to Oaklawn for the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes off of a visually impressive, nine-length romp in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 2.

In the second division of the Rebel, Omaha Beach seized command in the stretch and then held off a tenacious rally from previously unbeaten 2018 champion 2-year-old male Game Winner to prevail by a nose in a thrilling finish. The victory earned Omaha Beach 37.5 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. In the Arkansas Derby, Omaha Beach cemented his spot in the Kentucky Derby with a determined win over highly regarded Improbable. Mike Smith asked Omaha Beach to make a bold move on the backstretch to advance from fifth and take the lead, and then the dark bay or brown colt still had enough fuel in the tank to repel a bid from Grade 1 winner Improbable in the stretch.

Prior to the Kentucky Derby, Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella noticed something was not quite right after a workout and he subsequently underwent surgery to repair an entrapped epiglottis. The breathing issue was not career-threatening, but it did force him to the sidelines for the entire Triple Crown and the big summer races.

Omaha Beach returned Oct. 5 at Santa Anita Park in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes, a six-furlong race in which he faced elite 3-year-old sprinter Shancelot. After Shancelot was permitted to set an uncontested pace and swept into the stretch with a clear lead, it looked like second best would have to suffice for his comeback. But Omaha Beach would not be denied and rallied on the inside of his game rival and pushed his nose in front in the closing strides to prevail in a Grade 1 sprint against older horses in his first race in six months.

Omaha Beach was considered for several Breeders’ Cup races before Porter and Mandella settled on the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 2. He broke poorly in the two-turn race and settled in midpack before rallying five-wide through the turn. Omaha Beach made up ground on pacesetter Spun to Run but had to settle for second as his comeback journey continued.

After a series of solid workouts at Santa Anita, Omaha Beach returned in the seven-furlong, Grade 1 Runhappy Malibu Stakes on Dec. 28 to kick off Santa Anita Park’s winter-spring meet. With minimal encouragement from Mike Smith, Omaha Beach effortlessly took the lead early in the turn and easily scored his third Grade 1 win of his 3-year-old season by 2 ¾ lengths over Roadster.

Omaha Beach is a half-brother to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Take Charge Brandi, and his dam (mother), Charming, is a half-sister to champion Will Take Charge and Florida Derby winner Take Charge Indy. Multiple Grade 1 winner Take Charge Lady is his second dam (maternal grandmother).