Grade 2, $750,000 Rebel Stakes (second division), 1 1/16 miles, Oaklawn Park, March 16, 2019 (37.5 Derby qualifying points for a win, 15 for second, 7.5 for third, 3.75 for fourth) Winner: Omaha Beach, by War Front Trainer: Richard Mandella Jockey: Mike Smith Owner: Fox Hill Farms Inc. Beyer Speed Figure: 96 OMAHA BEACH always has been highly regarded by Mandella, but it took awhile for this colt to catch on. He lost his first four starts, and in three straight runner-up finishes looked as though he was perfectly fine being a follower than a leader. That has changed. He followed a powerhouse maiden win at Santa Anita with this victory, earned in his stakes debut, his first race out of town, and at the expense of last year’s champion 2-year-old male, the previously unbeaten GAME WINNER. This is a serious colt in the hands of a world-class horseman, and he has figured it out right when it matters most for a 3-year-old. Omaha Beach was part of a group of Californians who went to the Rebel. Most were there owing to the San Felipe being cancelled. But Omaha Beach had been intended for the Rebel all along after suffering a quarter crack in February. It was patched, but Mandella wanted the hoof to get an extra week of growth before Omaha Beach raced again. In the meantime, Omaha Beach trained like a freak. His final work before this race, at Los Alamitos, was as good as you’ll see a horse work - fast and effortless. In this race, Omaha Beach broke sharply and briefly had the lead before conceding it to MARKET KING and JERSEY AGENDA while racing in the clear, three paths wide, on the first turn. He moved up down the backstretch to vie with Market King for the lead, put that rival away three furlongs out, but soon thereafter faced a threat from Game Winner. He kicked clear in upper stretch without being asked for his best, then bravely held off a resurgent Game Winner in deep stretch while taking a solid bump from Game Winner near the finish. Smith hit him only once, left-handed. Game Winner, who finished second, bumped with Jersey Agenda leaving the gate, then raced midpack in traffic about three paths wide around the first turn. He was angled to the middle of the track down the backstretch and was asked to advance heading into the far turn, which put him initially in the four path. He made an extended run to get to the hip of Omaha Beach a quarter-mile out, but was being sent along with more urgency then Omaha Beach, and Omaha Beach got away from him in upper stretch. But Game Winner is a relentless warrior, and he cut into the deficit in the final furlong to just miss while bumping Omaha Beach late. He had not raced since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile more than 4 1/2 months earlier. Even though he suffered his first defeat, this was a solid comeback race for a horse who acts as though the farther he runs, the better. Market King, who was third, showed good speed from his rail draw to go up and grab the lead around the first turn, then was challenged by Omaha Beach soon after entering the backstretch. He couldn’t keep up with Omaha Beach three furlongs out, and though the top two sailed away from him down the lane he kept plugging away to finish in front of everyone else. He’s not a top-flight Derby candidate, but he’ll be fine if sensibly managed. GUNMETAL GRAY, who was fourth, lacked early speed, per usual, and trailed while saving ground around the first turn. He went into the far turn about two to three paths wide, then had to angle farther out when traffic developed, and he swung into the lane in the five path. He made steady progress late but never was in the hunt. He needs a radioactive pace meltdown to threaten these. Jersey Agenda, who was fifth, bumped with Game Winner leaving the gate, then split Market King and Omaha Beach to advance to second into the first turn. He was right behind two dueling leaders into the far turn, but got squeezed out of a tight spot three furlongs out and lost critical positioning. He dropped back to last entering the lane, then finished with some interest. He was beaten a long ways – and it’s hard to imagine he’d have been one-two – but he had enough trouble to have cost him third. CAPTAIN VON TRAPP, who was sixth, was able to get over from his outside draw to the two path around the first turn while toward the rear of the pack. He was just inside of Game Winner entering the backstretch, had to wait in traffic nearing the far turn, swung out to the three path on the far turn and quickly advanced to fourth, but weakened through the stretch. LAUGHING FOX, who was seventh, was in front of only Gunmetal Gray into the first turn while hugging the rail. He saved ground into the far turn, angled out to the three path to avoid the tiring PARSIMONY, split horses in upper stretch, but had less late kick then Gunmetal Gray and Jersey Agenda and never really was a factor. Parsimony, who was eighth, went into the first turn right behind Market King and Omaha Beach but was pulling aggressively. He relaxed better while heading down the backstretch while following Market King, started to weaken three furlongs out, had to check behind Jersey Agenda owing to traffic going around the turn, came into the lane just inside Laughing Fox but had nothing to offer. KAZIRANGA, who was ninth, went into the first turn about four paths wide toward the rear of the field, went into the far turn about three paths wide, avoided the traffic trouble inside him, yet never was involved. OUR BRAINTRUST, who finished last of 10, raced just behind and outside Omaha Beach in the four path into the first turn, then was very keen while racing just behind and outside the leaders down the backstretch. He went into the far turn in the three path while just inside of Game Winner, but was done before the quarter pole and dropped through the field.