Beach Bomb Fires Off First U.S. Win in The Very One

South African grade 1 winner Beach Bomb  broke through with her first United States win with a gate-to-wire score in the $150,000 The Very One Stakes (G3T) March 1 Gulfstream Park.

One of a fleet of horses from South Africa that journeyed to the U.S. last winter, Beach Bomb endured a lengthy quarantine and joined trainer Graham Motion's Fair Hill Training Center string with an eye on the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T). The then 4-year-old mare had earned an automatic starting slot in her native country when capturing the 2024 Paddock Stakes (G1).

Returning to training, the Cayton Park Stud runner put in two efforts, each race better than the next, culminating with an eighth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup. However, it wasn't until Saturday's The Very One that the hard-trying Beach Bomb would land her elusive first stateside win.

Although Beach Bomb had never gone to the front in her last three starts, jockey Luis Saez fearlessly guided the daughter of Lancaster Bomber  to the lead and the pair showed the way through opening fractions of :24.17 and :50.48. With his mount a willing participant, Saez slowed the pace down even further as the field crawled by the six-furlong marker in 1:16.05. Hitting the top of the lane with plenty left in the tank, Beach Bomb opened up on her rivals and roared home her final furlong in :11.65.

Holding sway by a length under the wire, Beach Bomb ($9.40) completed the 1 3/8 miles in 2:14.03 over a firm turf course.

"She didn't get beat that badly (in the Breeders' Cup). We liked her," Motion said of Beach Bomb. "Everything had to go perfectly to get to the Breeders' Cup. We gave her a little break after that to let her catch up with herself and settle in. Things went well for this race."

The Bill Mott-trained Immensitude , who sat a stalking rail trip throughout, closed to get second by a half-length over second choice La Mehana .