7th-Horseshoe Indianapolis, $34,000, Msw, 9-25, 2yo, 5fT, :58.40, fm, 2 1/4 lengths.
CODE OMAHA (c, 2, Omaha Beach–Lantiz {SP, $271,821}, by Tizway) was favored by $15 over fellow firster Silent Heart (Heart to Heart) in a five-furlong turf dash Monday at Horseshoe Indianapolis and the duo comprised what turned out to be a fairly rich return to exacta players. A $180,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling turned $550,000 OBS April breezer, the bay broke sharply, but inward, causing a bit of a chain reaction to his inside. Easing to the lead for Manny Esquivel, the bay carved out an opening quarter in :22.63 with a host of pursuers and maintained a clear advantage into the stretch. Briefly challenged by Azteca's Gold (Sharp Azteca) approaching the eighth pole, Code Omaha kicked on nicely and covered his final furlong in a smart :11.39 to score comfortably at odds of 27-10. Silent Heart was forced to cover extra ground while rallying into the final quarter mile and boxed on gamely for second to complete a $31 exacta.
Emmanuel Esquivel scores the riding double, taking the 7th @HSIndyRacing aboard Code Omaha! Thank you to @ThomasStables and his team for another winner on the card pic.twitter.com/t7n0Yl3BgR
— Jose Santos Jr. (@joesantos_33) September 25, 2023
The 12th winner for his first-crop sire (by War Front), Code Omaha is the first foal from a turf stakes-placed dam. There is further grass influence down the pace, as third dam Candleinthedark (Cox's Ridge) was placed in the GIII Modesty H. on the grass and was a half-sister to GII Hall of Fame S. winner Islefaxyou (Storm Bird). The yearling half-brother to Code Omaha, a colt by Complexity, cost Thomas & Mitchell Bloodstock $50,000 at Keeneland September last week, and Lantiz is also the dam of a yearling colt by Maclean's Music. She was most recently covered by Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music). Sales history: $185,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL; $550,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $20,400. Click for the Equibase.com chart.
O-Lauren and Rene Woolcott; B-Hartmut H. Malluche & Silesia Farm (KY); T-Jonathan Thomas.
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