Omaha Beach, Vino Rosso to Shuttle to Australia

Spendthrift Farm first-year sires and multiple grade 1 winners Omaha Beach  and Vino Rosso  will shuttle to Australia, the farm announced May 13 along with its Southern Hemisphere roster and fees for 2020.

"It's a big vote of confidence in the Victorian breeding industry for Mr. (B. Wayne) Hughes to shuttle two of the most popular and valuable stud prospects in North America," said Garry Cuddy, the general manager of Spendthrift Australia, referring to Spendthrift's owner.

"Omaha Beach and Vino Rosso represent the best of the best, as multiple grade 1 winners with rich pedigrees, and like every stallion on our roster, they are by champion sires," Cuddy said. "Omaha Beach and Vino Rosso will be afforded every opportunity at stud when supported by quality mares from the Spendthrift Australia broodmare band. We will be active at the sales over the coming months to purchase mares that specifically complement their profiles."

Omaha Beach will stand his debut season for AU$22,000, and Vino Rosso will stand for AU$13,750. Both fees include the Australian goods and services tax.

A son of War Front , Omaha Beach won five of his 10 starts, which included three victories at the highest level: the Arkansas Derby (G1), Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G1), and Malibu Stakes (G1). He displayed both speed and versatility at 3 by winning grade 1s at six furlongs and 1 1/8 miles. Omaha Beach retired with a 5-4-1 record and earned $1,651,800.

The 4-year-old colt is out of an extraordinarily deep family that includes the winners of 11 grade 1 stakes under his first two dams. Omaha Beach is out of the Seeking the Gold winner Charming, making him a half brother to multiple grade 1 winner and champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway). Charming is out of Broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady, which makes her a half sister to multiple grade 1 winner, champion, and sire Will Take Charge  (Unbridled's Song) and grade 1-winning sire Take Charge Indy  (A.P. Indy), who was last year's leading third-crop sire.

Vino Rosso, by Curlin , produced a dream season for his 4-year-old campaign, starting with a win in the Stymie Stakes and then capturing his first grade 1 in his third start of 2019 in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes at Santa Anita Park. He placed in two more grade 1 stakes before reaching the pinnacle with a 4 1/4-length win in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

An undefeated 2-year-old and grade 2 winner at 3, Vino Rosso was retired with a 6-1-3 record out of 15 starts and earned $4,803,125.

Vino Rosso is out of the winning Street Cry mare Mythical Bride, who is a half sister to classic-placed multiple graded stakes winner and sire Commissioner  (A.P. Indy) and grade 1-placed graded stakes winner and sire Laugh Track (Distorted Humor ). Mr. Prospector inbreeding with mares by Street Cry (a grandson of Mr. Prospector) has produced group 1 winners Con Te Partiro and Lyre, so it's familiar to Australian breeders. Curlin, the second-leading North American sire by progeny earnings, is also a Mr. Prospector grandson.