Omaha Beach staying in Kentucky a bit longer after throat surgery

ARCADIA, Calif. – Omaha Beach, the favorite for the Kentucky Derby prior to being scratched, will remain in Kentucky longer than expected due to irritation and inflammation following minor throat surgery for an entrapped epiglottis.

Trainer Richard Mandella said Wednesday that the postponed return to California is “no big deal” but that Omaha Beach would remain at WinStar Farm in Kentucky until his throat heals.

“I don’t think it’s healed enough, so I’m going to wait,” Mandella said. “Some horses react with swelling and inflammation, and some don’t. There’s no sense moving him, we’ll just let it heal.”

The winner of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park, Omaha Beach was the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby but scratched three days before the race due to an entrapped epiglottis.

Omaha Beach underwent surgery May 3 to correct the issue. His original travel date back to California was this coming Sunday. Mandella said Wednesday the colt’s throat “looks like it’s not going to be good enough by Sunday, so … the next plane. It’s just a matter of waiting for him to heal up enough.”

Owned by Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms, Omaha Beach has won three races and $1,121,800 from seven starts. Expectations are the son of War Front will have a successful summer-fall campaign. Mandella and Porter will determine the direction of his campaign after he resumes training.