Omaha Beach Exits Arkansas Derby in Good Order

Among the Oaklawn Park-raced horses with enough points to run in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) are Omaha Beach and Improbable, the top two finishers in the April 13 Arkansas Derby (G1).

Omaha Beach exited his one-length victory in good order, Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday morning, adding that the War Front  colt, owned by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farm, will probably be vanned April 16 to Churchill Downs to begin preparations for the May 4 Run for the Roses.

"We've had him out and checked him over," Mandella said. "He looks great."

The Arkansas Derby was the third consecutive victory for the rapidly improving Omaha Beach, who has found a home on dirt after losing his first three starts on turf. Omaha Beach broke his maiden by nine lengths Feb. 2 at Santa Anita Park, then won the second division of the March 16 Rebel Stakes (G2) by a nose over Game Winner, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's previously unbeaten 2-year-old champion.

"I've said all along, some day somebody will ask me, 'How did you get this horse beat so many times?" Mandella said with a laugh. "I started saying that way back because we always thought it was there." 

Omaha Beach ranks second with 137.5 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

A Tex Sutton flight is scheduled Monday from Little Rock, Ark., to Lexington, Ky., but Mandella said he prefers to van Omaha Beach to Kentucky. Omaha Beach was flown from his Southern California base to Arkansas April 9.

"I don't want to go tomorrow morning," Mandella said. "I just got him here. Let him have an extra day. I'm thinking of just putting him on a van and go straight through. You have to van to Little Rock now. It's not right out of this airport, and the plane's going to Lexington. So by the time you add the hours of shipping there, shipping there and all that, a few more hours you can just van straight there and not get on a plane. I'm thinking that might be a better way."

Mandella is seeking his first Kentucky Derby victory. His best finish among six starters to date, Soul of the Matter, was fifth in 1994. Conversely, Baffert, Mandella's Santa Anita neighbor, has won the Kentucky Derby five times, the last two with eventual Triple Crown winners American Pharoah  (2015) and Justify  (2018). Baffert, Mandella kidded, had been giving lessons on how to win the Kentucky Derby—until roughly 10 weeks ago.

"Baffert, he quit helping me when I got a real shot," Mandella said.

Baffert said immediately following the Arkansas Derby that Improbable would point to the Kentucky Derby. After finishing second in the first division of the Rebel—the City Zip colt's first loss—Improbable was antsy in the Arkansas Derby post parade and starting gate, having to be backed out after initially loading into post 1. He still finished a strong second, with 5 3/4 lengths back to third-place finisher Country House.

Improbable ranks 11th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 65 points. 

"I thought he had to run first or second to have a chance, so it puts him right there in the mix," Baffert said. "It's a wide-open Derby this year. I just feel thankful. It could have been disastrous. Really had some anxious moments there. I think he ran a great race, and he's going to improve off this. I've been bringing him along, getting him ready by running him, and so he'll move forward off of it."

Improbable raced in blinkers for the first time Saturday after losing a little focus in the Rebel, Baffert said. The equipment change, Baffert said, didn't help.

"I don't think he needs the blinkers," Baffert said. "I think they got him a little upset. That's probably why he acted up in the gate." 

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said Sunday morning that he was pleased with Country House's performance after the late-running Lookin At Lucky  colt was wheeled back three weeks following a fourth-place finish in the March 23 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

"He was where we thought he'd be early," Mott said. "He came with a good run. On the middle of the turn, he was creeping up. I was starting to get a little excited. He made a little run. After he got past the field, apart from the two leaders that were quite a ways in front, I thought he might have started waiting a little bit, and then (Laughing Fox) came up on his inside and kind of pushed him along a little bit."

Mott said Country House came out of the race well, but no decision has been made regarding the Kentucky Derby. The colt, who races for Mrs. J.V. Shields Jr., E.J.M. McFadden Jr., and LNJ Foxwoods (Jamie Roth), has 50 points and ranks 17th.

"I haven't talked to the owners this morning," Mott said. "As far as I know, they were pleased. Initially, it sounded like they were last night. We didn't talk Derby. I think that was one of the goals, to get enough points to go to the Derby. Now we've got to assess the situation and see if it makes sense to enter up."