Omaha Beach Drills Six Furlongs for Malibu

Fox Hill Farm's Omaha Beach  recorded his second straight bullet work Dec. 17 at Santa Anita Park in preparation for the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes (G1).

Trainer Richard Mandella sent the 3-year-old War Front  colt out in company to drill six furlongs and was pleased with the work.

"This was the strong work for the race," Mandella said. "He went 1:12 flat, galloped out 1:25 and change. Couldn't look better."

Omaha Beach's regular jockey, Mike Smith, was aboard.

"He worked brilliant, just cool and smooth as you want to go, just really, really good," Smith said. "He's doing really well. If the Lord's willing we'll have a little racing going our way (in) a little bit. (If) all goes well he should fire his A+ race.

"He broke off of another horse then sat back off him for a little bit. Then he just overwhelmed him and went on his way."

Smith said he never had to use his hands during the work.

"Literally not from the time I broke off to the time I pulled him up," Smith added. "He's gotten so professional. I don't really do a whole lot other than keep the weight on the back, which is very fine with me. I'm very blessed to be in this situation."

Mandella said it's possible Omaha Beach could have one more short work prior to the Malibu, but he has not yet decided.

Should all go well in the Malibu Omaha Beach's final start will likely come in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park. Track owner The Stronach Group announced Dec. 15 the purse for the race would be $3 million, compared to $9 million last year, with the $500,000 entry fee waived. Contenders must run without the anti-bleeding medication Lasix.

The new format did not give Mandella or Fox Hill Farms owner Rick Porter second thoughts. The Pegasus is the last big race Omaha Beach is able to run in before beginning stud duties at Spendthrift Farm, where he'll stand for $40,000.

"He's so much fun to watch and we got nothing to lose to run him," Porter said.

Omaha Beach is entering the Malibu off a runner-up finish behind Spun to Run in the Nov. 2 Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), in which he made a five-wide bid from seventh after a sluggish start.

"He wasn't ready. He wasn't even facing the right way and he was nowhere near where their nose goes up into the triangle there," Porter said of the break from the gate. "His throat was just full of dirt. He's just not used to getting dirt kicked in his face."

Prior to the Dirt Mile Omaha Beach defeated Shancelot by a neck in the Oct. 5 six-furlong Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1), his first start since being scratched from the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) to treat an entrapped epiglottis. Prior to that, he won the April 13 Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles.

The Malibu will shorten Omaha Beach to seven furlongs against 3-year-olds, and the Pegasus will stretch him back out to 1 1/8 miles. Porter had a similar experience in 2007 with Hard Spun , who was second in the Kentucky Derby and Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) before trainer Larry Jones shortened him to win the King's Bishop Stakes (G1) sprinting seven furlongs.

Though Omaha Beach's sophomore campaign was shortened due to recovering from minor throat surgery and later a minor virus, his top scores at both two-turn and sprint races helped make it memorable.

"There's not many horses that win a grade 1 at six furlongs and nine furlongs," Porter said. "Omaha Beach is special."