Omaha Beach continues to progress toward Ack Ack

DEL MAR, Calif. – Omaha Beach, unraced since a win in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in April, worked a half-mile in 47.80 seconds on Thursday at Del Mar for his comeback race at Churchill Downs next month.

The time equaled the fastest of 35 works at the distance that day. Trainer Richard Mandella timed Omaha Beach galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.60.

Omaha Beach was sidelined earlier this month with illness.

“He looked good,” Mandella said after the work. “He was clean afterward. No cough, no nothing.”

Owned by Rick Porter, Omaha Beach was scratched as the morning-line favorite from the Kentucky Derby after being diagnosed with an entrapped epiglottis, which was fixed in a minor procedure. He returned to Mandella’s stable in California in late spring.

Thursday, Mandella reiterated that Omaha Beach will be pointed to the Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap at a mile Sept. 28 at Churchill Downs.