Omaha Beach

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm OCALA, FL - While it took some time to find its stride, the first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training gained momentum throughout the day and concluded with figures in line with the first session of its record-setting 2023 renewal. "I thought it was a good day," said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. "A good horse sells well and I thought we had a lot of nice horses today. Holding true to last year, that's a...

After the FanDuel Limestone S. was taken off the grass, Hot Beach (Omaha Beach) did not mind a wet main track one bit as she rolled home a winner at Keeneland on Friday. The dark bay began her career last summer at Ellis Park with a runner-up finish and then won the Debutante S. at the Pea Patch in mid-August. A well beaten third behind 'TDN Rising Star' V V's Dream (Mitole) in the GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Downs a month later, Hot Beach was last seen running second...

A filly by Omaha Beach (hip 308), consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, set the benchmark with a furlong work in :9 3/5 early in Monday's second session of the under-tack preview of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale and the time was matched about a half-hour later by a filly by Mitole (hip 335) consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds. Hip 308 is the first foal out of the unraced Marla (Frosted), a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Envoutante (Uncle Mo). "I was expecting a good work...

The whole point of the breeze-ups is that the functionality of a pedigree is on display. Nowadays, in fact, breeze times are treated as though rendering more or less redundant all the painstaking surmise of the yearling sales. Pinhookers, having seen so many offbeat sires achieve knockout sales, can prioritize "run"—knowing that lot of prospectors won't even bother looking at the catalogue until the lots have shown their wares. But it's for precisely that reason that European breeze-up consignors have increasingly been able to repair a dismal separation between the...

There's never a bad day to win your first race but Where's My Ring (Twirling Candy) sure picked an opportune day to do it, breaking her maiden and earning 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with a dominant effort in the GIII Gazelle S. at Aqueduct Saturday. A career maiden through seven starts, the $100,000 Keeneland September grad could perhaps be forgiven for running behind the likes of MGSW Dreamfyre (Flameaway), champion Just F Y I (Justify) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and not once...

2nd-KEE, $110K, OC/N1X, 3yo, 6f, 1:32 p.m. ET. PIRATE (Omaha Beach) begins his 3-year-old campaign after he broke his maiden at first asking and secured 'TDN Rising Star' honors last July at Saratoga. The dark bay then ran third to Nutella Fella (Runhappy) and fellow 'Rising Star' Timberlake in the GI Hopeful S. just before the meet upstate closed for the summer. A $350,000 purchase by Starlight Racing and Harrell Ventures at the Keeneland September Sale, the Todd Pletcher trainee is a half-brother to GI Preakness S. and GI Pegasus...

HOT SPRINGS, Arkansas--Counting the well-mannered colt's strides as she takes him to the seven-eighths pole on a brisk Wednesday morning breeze this week at Oaklawn Park, Laura Moquett knows precisely where she wants to be. She understands how much throttle to let out and what visual markers are presenting themselves. Clocking is useful, but it is more about listening intently as she moves forward. An accomplished horseman like Moquett relishes the routine; everyone does, but as an assistant trainer she is never shy when it comes to a good equine...

6th-OP, $115k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1m, 4:18p.m. ET Half-sister to last year's GIII Withers S. winner Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), FLASHY DANCER (Curlin) will be unveiled here for Gary and Mary West. Out of two-time Graded winner Actress (Tapit), who has also produced the winning Hot Rumor (Medaglia d'Oro), the second dam is Canadian champion Milwaukee Appeal (Milwaukee Brew). Riding a healthy work tab and picking up the services of Manny Franco, the morning line has Flashy Dancer tabbed at 8-5 odds. TJCIS PPs 4th-SA, $65k, Msw, 3yo, 6...

When considering the speculative nature of America's financial future, President Harry S. Truman famously exhorted his aides to bring him a one-handed economist. "All of my economists say 'on the one hand'..., then 'but on the other hand'...," the plain-talking Missourian from Independence famously quipped. To put it another way, convictions matter, not the pros and cons. You are either in or you're not. Horse racing, or more specifically preparing for the 150th Kentucky Derby is no different. It's about possessing sterner stuff. Another Harry Truman, Harry Truman Rosenblum that...

Churchill Downs' ban of Bob Baffert and the decision by his owners to keep their horses with the trainer, even though that means they cannot run at Churchill, will affect not just the Derby. Though Baffert's group of 3-year-old fillies is not as deep or as impressive as his collection of 3-year-old colts, he does have some fillies that, in a normal year, would be Oaks candidates. He has GII Starlet S. winner Nothing Like You (Malibu Moon). But his best filly may be Kinza (Carpe Diem), who rocketed to...

8th-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 4:03 p.m. ET. Bred by Clearsky Farms, ACCLAIMED VICTOR (Omaha Beach) makes his first start for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The $725,000 Keeneland September grad, who was purchased by St. Elias, was the third highest selling yearling in 2022 by his top five first-crop sire. Out of Color Me Flying (Distorted Humor), the 3-year-old is a half-brother to MGSP Colorful Mischief (Into Mischief), who St. Elias acquired at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Sale for $300,000. Acclaimed Victor's extended female family includes his...

A short yearling by Omaha Beach (hip 409) topped the two-day Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Winter Mixed Sale when selling for $100,000 to Discovery Bay Bloodstock during the auction's open session Wednesday. Bred by Dominque Damico and consigned by her Fly By Thoroughbreds, the Florida-bred filly is out of Gardenista (Curlin), who is a daughter of multiple graded-stakes winner Valbenny (Ire) (Val Royal {Fr}). During Wednesday's open session, 163 horses grossed $2,009,900 for an average of $12,331 and a median of $5,200. The buy-back rate was 21.3%. Through two days,...