Omaha Beach, Monomoy Girl Progress on Comeback Trail

As the racing world debates the disqualification in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), two horses who could have a major impact on the late summer/fall racing season are quietly moving forward with their rest and recovery at WinStar Farm.

Both Fox Hill Farm's 3-year-old Omaha Beach, the morning-line favorite in the Kentucky Derby, and Monomoy Girl are on the comeback trail at WinStar, putting medical issues behind them and generating optimism for their return to the races in the coming months.

"It's never about one or two races," said Victoria Keith, who works as the executive vice president of Fox Hill Farm for owner Rick Porter. "There's a long year ahead of us."

If all continues to go well for them at the farm near Versailles, Ky., Omaha Beach will leave for trainer Richard Mandella's barn May 18 and Monomoy Girl will be put under tack around June 1. 

Omaha Beach won the Arkansas Derby (G1) and a division of the Rebel Stakes (G2) and was installed as an early 2-1 choice in the 145th Kentucky Derby, but he never made it to the starting gate. On May 1, three days before the opening leg of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky-bred son of War Front  was scratched due to an entrapped epiglottis, which required throat surgery May 3.

All went well during the procedure, though there is still some swelling in the area. Some internet reports raised the possibility of Omaha Beach returning to Mandella's California barn this weekend, but both Porter and Keith confirmed that Omaha Beach is booked for travel on a May 18 flight to the West Coast, provided there are no setbacks.

"There was a misunderstanding about him leaving this week," Keith said. "We hope he makes the flight on the 18th. We'll see. He's healing. It's maybe just a bit slower than we would like. The swelling has not gone away, but it's moving in the right direction. We have to take things one step at a time."

If those plans come to fruition, Omaha Beach could be ready for a race by mid-July, timing that would line up for a start in either the July 20 betfair.com Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park or the July 27 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course, with the Aug. 24 Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at the Spa on the horizon.

"I looked at the stakes calendar on BloodHorse, and assuming we can get to the races in July or early August, there's enough grade 1s around, if he's the same horse," Porter said. "We would also consider the Jim Dandy. Saratoga is a spot that has some races that would fit him perfectly. But at this point, I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch."

Depending on how Omaha Beach continues to progress, Keith said a race like the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Presented by Runhappy (G1) at Saratoga on Travers Day could be a springboard to a fall campaign for the colt bred by the Charming Syndicate out of the Seeking the Gold mare Charming.

"At this point, we don't know how ambitious we'll be in the first race back," Keith said.

For Porter, watching the Derby was a highly emotional experience. 

"It was very, very disappointing to not be in the race," Porter said. "At first, no one except (BloodHorse's) Steve Haskin was talking about Omaha Beach, and then everyone was."

Keith said Porter has come to terms with the swift and depressing twist of fate.

"I felt for Rick. I can imagine he was crushed. It was probably his best chance ever to win the Derby, and then that happens. But he's OK," she said. "You have to look at it philosophically. For some reason, we weren't there. Some things are just meant to happen. As long as the horse is OK, we'll be OK."

Porter believes the stewards made the right decision in disqualifying Maximum Security in the Kentucky Derby and declaring Country House the winner, though he wonders what might have happened if Omaha Beach was in the 1 1/4-mile classic.

"I was talking with Mike Smith (Omaha Beach's regular rider) the other day, and he told me there would not have been a foul if Omaha Beach had run," Porter said. "He said Omaha Beach would have been in front of Maximum Security."

As for Monomoy Girl, she continues to progress after a mild bout of colic sidelined her in late March. 

According to Liz Crow, a partner with BSW Bloodstock/ELiTE Sales, the champion 3-year-old filly has been putting on weight and showing every sign that her disorder has been resolved.

"When she got to WinStar, her weight was down to 1,044 pounds. Now she's 1,125," Crow said. "She's gaining weight every day and going out in the paddock and getting grass every day. She's back on a good eating schedule. She's where she should be in terms of her nutrition. Her coat looks good. I think we're definitely over the hump and headed in the right direction. (Farm trainer) Destin Heath and everyone at WinStar have done a tremendous job with her.

"We'll give her the rest of the month off because she lost so much weight and conditioning. Because of who she is, we want to make sure she gets some more weight back before we start with her."

Owned by Michael Dubb, Sol Kumin's Monomoy Stables, Stuart Grant's The Elkstone Group, and Michael Caruso's Bethlehem Stables, the 4-year-old daughter of Tapizar  has not raced since her Nov. 3 victory in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs. Crow said Monomoy Girl is expected to be put under tack around June 1 and could return to trainer Brad Cox a couple of weeks after that. 

That would place her on a timetable to race again in late August or September.

"I can't see her racing before August or September, and probably something less than 1 1/8 miles for her first race back would be best, but that's yet to be decided," said Crow, who picked out Monomoy Girl for Kumin and his partners at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where the filly sold for $100,000. "She's good at telling us when she's ready. She trains with enthusiasm and knows her job. It will be easy to tell when she can run."

If there's a silver lining to the illness, it's that it could lead to a longer-than-planned 5-year-old campaign for the Eclipse Award winner who has won nine of 11 starts and earned $2,954,750.

"It's great that she has owners who love running her," Crow said. "Some people might have entered her in a sale by now. We had planned to run her all year and then give her a break heading into the 5-year-old campaign. Now we'll probably just go right into the 5-year-old campaign."

Monomoy Girl was bred in Kentucky by FPF and Highfield Ranch and is out of the Henny Hughes mare Drumette.