Santa Anita

Omaha Beach powers home in final work for Arkansas Derby

Jay Privman|Apr 06, 2019

Omaha Beach wins a division of the Rebel Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston Omaha Beach (right) defeated champion Game Winner (left) last time out in a division of the Rebel Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. -- Omaha Beach, in his final drill for the Arkansas Derby next Saturday, looked sharp on Saturday morning at Santa Anita when working five furlongs in 1:00.60 under jockey Mike Smith, who rode him to victory in a division of the Rebel last month and has the mount in the Arkansas Derby.

Omaha Beach started about two lengths behind a workmate, dropped about five lengths back nearing the half-mile pole, but came up the rail with an impressive rush through the lane and crossed the wire about four in front without ever being asked. This is a colt who took some time to figure it out, but he's thriving now. The work was the fastest of 45 at the distance.

"Beautiful. Mike was ecstatic," said Richard Mandella, who trains Omaha Beach for Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farm. "He relaxed so easy, and Mike said when the rail opened up he just took him there. Plenty nice. Good as you're gonna get. He seems to be getting better and better."

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Omaha Beach is one of three California-based runners heading to Oaklawn for the Arkansas Derby, including Improbable and Galilean. Improbable had his final drill on Friday at Santa Anita. Galilean has been training at Los Alamitos and will have his final work there on Sunday, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

All three fly to Arkansas on Tuesday.

Also Saturday morning, the stakes-winning 3-year-old Sparky Ville worked five furlongs in 1:02 for trainer Jeff Bonde.

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