After Sunland Derby consideration, Sharons Beach stays put

ARCADIA, Calif. – Sharons Beach was entered in Sunday’s $500,000 Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico, but the 3-year-old gelding never left California.

Trainer Jonathan Thomas opted to enter Sharons Beach in a maiden race at a mile on Monday at Santa Anita. Now, Thomas, and everyone else involved with Monday’s program, needs favorable weather conditions.

There is a forecast of extensive rain, which could lead to the cancellation of Monday’s races. Track officials said Thursday that a decision regarding Monday’s program will be made this weekend.

Sharons Beach, a colt by Omaha Beach, finished second by a neck in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Jan. 23 at Santa Anita in his first start since August. Race winner Liam Smith returned to win a starter allowance by 11 lengths on Feb. 6.

For Sharons Beach, Monday’s intended race at a mile will be his first start around two turns on dirt.

“He’s bred for it,” Thomas said. “He’s got the physical build for it. It looks like the extra three-sixteenths should work. Those are questions answered on the racetrack.”

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Owned by Panic Stable, Sharons Beach is a full brother to Mister Omaha, a multiple stakes winner around two turns at Remington Park in 2024 and 2025. Sharons Beach may set the pace and will be pursued by Blacksmith, who was second in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity in December. Trained by Bob Baffert, Blacksmith has started once at this meeting, finishing third by a length at 7-10 odds behind Robusta in a maiden race at a mile on Jan. 6.

Monday’s maiden race drew a field of six and is the third race on an eight-race program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.

Monday’s sixth race is an allowance race for California-bred 3-year-olds at a mile on turf.

It will be the first start against winners for the promising gelding Dark Omen, who led throughout a maiden race for statebreds at six furlongs on turf in his debut Jan. 10. Dark Omen, trained by Aggie Ordonez, drew post 8 in a field of nine.

“He acts like he will carry on,” trainer Aggie Ordonez said of more distance. “We haven’t reached the bottom yet.”

Third Beer, who starts in post 7, has run only at a mile on turf in four starts. He won his debut in a maiden race at Del Mar in late August and was second by a length in the Grade 3 Zuma Beach Stakes on Oct. 5 at Santa Anita. More recently, Third Beer was 12th of 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Oct. 31 at Del Mar and last of five in the Eddie Logan Stakes on Jan. 8.

Trainer Tim Yakteen is hopeful Monday’s program will go forward and that the allowance race will be run on turf.

“If the race comes off the turf, we’ll play it by ear,” Yakteen said. “The horse trains beautifully. I’m looking to see a strong effort from him.”

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