Omaha Beach fires bullet in five-furlong work

DEL MAR, Calif. – Omaha Beach is quickly coming to hand. In only his third official work since going back in training, he went five furlongs in 59.80 seconds on Sunday morning at Del Mar, the fastest time of the 75 drills at the distance.

Mike Smith, back in town following a Saturday night flight home from Saratoga, where he won the Whitney on McKinzie, was up for trainer Richard Mandella.

Mandella, who might be trying out for "Dancing With the Stars" with the fancy footwork he’s shown following Omaha Beach’s last two works, said watching Omaha Beach was “exciting.”

“I love it,” he said once he brought his short jig to a close. “Most horses wouldn’t move back this fast, but he’s different.”

Omaha Beach has not raced since winning the Arkansas Derby. He was favored for the Kentucky Derby, but was scratched three days before the race owing to an entrapped epiglottis that needed to be surgically repaired. His return to training was delayed after he required a lengthier recovery in Kentucky than originally anticipated.

At the rate Omaha Beach is training, he could be set to return in the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes going one mile at Del Mar on Aug. 25, but that decision won’t be made until after the next couple of works.