Omaha Beach Arrives Tuesday for Ack Ack at Churchill
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Photo: Zoe Metz
Omaha Beach working at Santa Anita Sept. 13
Fox Hill Farm's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) morning-line favorite Omaha Beach is tentatively scheduled to return to Churchill Downs from his Southern California base Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. to compete in the Sept. 28 Ack Ack Presented by GE Appliances (G3).
Omaha Beach, trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, has not raced since he was scratched from the Derby due to an entrapped epiglottis. This will be 3-year-old colt's first start since winning the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) in mid-April.
Omaha Beach will be stabled in the same barn and stall he was in for Derby: Barn 28, Stall 15.
The following horses are probable to enter the one-mile Ack Ack, according to assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork: Air Strike (trainer Phil D'Amato); Mr. Darcy (Angel Montano); Mr. Jagermeister (Valerie Lund); Omaha Beach (Mandella); and Thirstforlife (Wes Hawley).
Besides the Ack Ack, a couple of other stakes events will headline the Downs After Dark Presented by Budweiser program next Saturday at Churchill Downs. The following are the probable entrants according to Bork:
$250,000 Lukas Classic Presented by Budweiser: Big Dollar Bill (trainer Ian Wilkes); Kukulkan (Fausto Gutierrez); Pioneer Spirit (Brad Cox); Quip (Rodolphe Brisset); Silver Dust (Bret Calhoun); Sir Anthony (Anthony Mitchell); and Timeline (Steve Asmussen).
$125,000 Jefferson Cup (Listed): Bundibunan (Ignacio Correas IV); Corruze (Chris Hartman); Faraway Kitten (Mike Maker); Hackberry (Dan Blacker); Kid Lemuel (Eddie Kenneally); Scars Are Cool (Stan Hough); Spectacular Gem (Jimmy Baker); and Temple (Maker).
Entries for the 11-race program will be drawn Wednesday.