By Jill Williams
Leading into the first Saturday in May, the Beyer Speed Figure benchmark for the year hadn't been set by one of the star 3-year-olds in the nation, but by the 4-year-old California campaigner Kopion (f, 4, Omaha Beach–Galloping Ami, by Victory Gallop), who closed out her 2024 season as a surprise 37-1 victress in the GI La Brea Stakes on Santa Anita's opening day in December. Saturday she made it three in a row and proved her last-out, year-topping 110 Beyer Speed Figure was no fluke as she made the trip to Churchill Downs and proved much the best in a salty renewal of the $1-million GI Derby City Distaff Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
A Spendthrift Farm colorbearer, Kopion faced both her first career ship and her first trip in the mud in the Derby City Distaff. Reunited with Kazushi Kimura, who rode her in the La Brea, she broke cleanly from the two hole, settling along the rail patiently midpack as MGSW Mystic Lake (Mo Town) set sharp :22.30 and :45.19 fractions up front and MGSW Hope Road (Quality Road) pressured to the outside. As Mystic Lake began to fade, Kopion tipped out, swinging wide in the middle of the track to collar Hope Road. She may have covered more ground than anyone else, but Kopion had clean sights on the wire and leveled off, kicking clear for an emphatic, without-a-doubt, much-the-best, three-length triumph. It was a powerful performance, emphasized by a faster clocking for the seven furlongs–1:21.76–than the 1:22.64 run by Mindframe (Constitution) in the GI Churchill Downs Stakes two races earlier.
Hope Road, who finished behind Kopion in both the Santa Monica and the La Brea, held for second, three-quarters of a length in front of the slight favorite, 'TDN Rising Star' and last year's GI Test Stakes winner Ways and Means (Practical Joke). Vahva (Gun Runner), the defending winner of the Derby City Distaff, finished seventh.
Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, one of the most respected and patient trainers in the game, tends to ship his runners only when they merit a serious shot. Omaha Beach, sire of Kopion and the morning-line favorite in the 2019 Derby, was one of the horses Mandella previously shipped to Churchill, but he had to be withdrawn the Wednesday before the Derby that year with an entrapped epiglottis. Mandella had to wait another six years, but it's doubtful anyone will begrudge him a Grade I win at Churchill on the first Saturday in May, nor the poetic justice of doing it with a daughter of his previously scratched Derby favorite. Mandella's last start at Churchill was in 2018, while his last win in Louisville was in 2004.
Bred in Kentucky by Tall Oaks Farm and purchased by Spendthrift, who stands her sire, for $270,000 at the 2022 Keneeland September sale, Kopion made just one start at two, breaking her maiden going 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar. Until Saturday, that was her only career start away from Santa Anita. She captured the GIII Santa Ynez Stakes in her second career start and first start at three, then finished second in the GIII Las Virgenes Stakes and off the board in the GII Santa Anita Oaks. Reportedly suffering from bone bruising, it was 8 1/2 months later before she reemerged in the La Brea and followed it up with the GII Santa Monica Stakes, where she ran lights out to earn that 110 Beyer. A virus after the Feb. 1 Santa Monica kept her away from the races for a short time, but the chestnut has been working steadily since March. Kopion is unbeaten at five starts at seven furlongs or less.
Pedigree Notes:
With his third crop heading to the races this year, MGISW Omaha Beach, who holds court at Spendthrift for a 2025 fee of $35,000, has 15 black-type winners. Kopion is one of two Grade I winners and one of four graded winners for the son of War Front, while he has also sired last year's filly who beat the boys in the King's Plate, Caitlinhergrtness.
Canada's 2016 Broodmare of the Year Galloping Ami is the dam of Kopion as well as of Canadian champion Amis Gizmo (Giant Gizmo) and GSW/GISP Ami's Flatter (Flatter). She has a 2-year-old Essential Quality filly named Quality Ami and a Feb. 20-foaled filly by Curlin. The 2-year-old was a $275,000 RNA at Keeneland September. Broodmare sire Victory Gallop has 39 stakes winners out of his daughters, including four out of Galloping Ami and two out of her full-sister, the latter mare responsible for two-time Canadian champion Ami's Mesa (Sky Mesa).
Kopion and Kazushi Kimura with the impressive closing kick to win the G1 Derby City Distaff presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery!
Richard Mandella trains for owner Spendthrift Farm. pic.twitter.com/6hJaA9WU88
— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 3, 2025
Saturday, Churchill Downs
DERBY CITY DISTAFF S. PRESENTED BY KENDALL-JACKSON WINERY-GI, $999,600, Churchill Downs, 5-3, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:21.76, sy.
1–KOPION, 123, f, 4, by Omaha Beach
1st Dam: Galloping Ami (Outstanding Broodmare-Can), by Victory Gallop
2nd Dam: Secret Ami, by Secret Claim
3rd Dam: Sybelle Ami, by Alwasmi
($270,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Tall Oaks Farm (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella; J-Kazushi Kimura. $590,100. Lifetime Record: 7-5-1-0, $1,024,700. *1/2 to Aragorn Ami (Aragorn {Ire}), SW, $112,535; 1/2 to Ami's Flatter (Flatter), GSW & GISP, $536,931; 1/2 to Amis Gizmo (Giant Gizmo), Ch. 3-year-old Colt-Can, GSW, $800,022. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hope Road, 123, f, 4, by Quality Road
1st Dam: Marley's Freedom (GISW, $1,233,935), by Blame
2nd Dam: Relaxing Green, by Formal Gold
3rd Dam: Charlotte Augusta, by Chief's Crown
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($575,000 RNA Ylg '22 FTSAUG). O/B-Cicero Farms LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $191,000.
3–Ways and Means, 123, f, 4, by Practical Joke
1st Dam: Strong Incentive (SW, $123,568), by Warrior's Reward
2nd Dam: G G's Dolly, by Comic Strip
3rd Dam: Parfait, by Kingmambo
'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Klaravich Stables (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $95,500.
Margins: 3, 3/4, 3. Odds: 2.74, 8.27, 2.58.
Also Ran: Scylla, Emery, Positano Sunset, Vahva, Benedetta, Mystic Lake, Miss Susan B. Scratched: Awesome Treat, Dorth Vader, Grand Job, Haulin Ice, My Mane Squeeze, Taxed.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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