Consensus led Omaha Beach's team to BC Dirt Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Richard Mandella said the decision to run Omaha Beach in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile came after a conference call among he, owner Rick Porter, and representatives of Spendthrift Farm.

“It was a group effort,” Mandella said Friday morning. “The Mile looks like a nice way to develop him. It’s the next step.”

Omaha Beach is scheduled to go to stud at Spendthrift next year, but there is still time following the Breeders’ Cup for more races, culminating with the Pegasus World Cup in January.

Mandella said one week earlier that he was leaning toward the Sprint for Omaha Beach. That race is headed by Met Mile winner Mitole, who also is ticketed to Spendthrift next year.

The Classic never was under serious consideration owing to setbacks Omaha Beach had en route to his return to action. The original plan was to run in the Shared Belief going a mile at Del Mar, then the Awesome Again, and then the Classic. But his return was delayed until two weeks ago, when he won the Santa Anita Sprint Championship going six furlongs in his first start in nearly six months.

Going from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles for the Classic off one race, the first in six months, while coming back in just four weeks, was too tall an order, Mandella said.

“I’m just disappointed we lost ground and couldn’t make the Classic,” Mandella said. “We didn’t want to be unfair to the horse.”

Also under consideration for both the Dirt Mile and the Sprint is Catalina Cruiser. His trainer, John Sadler, on Friday said Omaha Beach being in the Dirt Mile “doesn’t move the needle for me” in terms of where Catalina Cruiser will run. A final decision on that was expected within the next few days.

Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup are due Monday and are officially announced on Wednesday.