Omaha Beach

Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's lightly raced 3-year-old Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), last seen capturing the Los Alamitos Derby June 28, fired fresh off the bench to punch his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic with an 8-1 upset victory for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert against older horses in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Goodwood S. at Santa Anita. Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile upsetter Full Serrano (Arg) (Full Mast) was second as the 1-2 favorite. Privman (Justify) was third. Fourth beneath Mike...

The Padre, who closed into a tepid pace to win the La Jolla Handicap last time out, repeated the dose Sunday, powering to the lead late to make it two in a row over the Del Mar lawn in the GII Del Mar Derby. The 3-5 favorite was well held while positioned off the pedestrian pace set by Freedom's Not Free. He rolled up three wide at the top of the lane and surged past the pacesetter to win with authority. "He was up against it last time with no...

8th-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 4:28 p.m. ET. From the same Cherie DeVaux shedrow as her older half-sister MGISW She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}), SHE FEELS STUNNING (American Pharoah) is unveiled for Lael who owns both fillies. The first-time starter was acquired by the stables for $650,000 during Keeneland September. Dam Summer Sweet (More Than Ready) is herself out of French stakes winner Summer Solstice (Ire) (Caerleon), who is also responsible for SW Adirondack Summer (Thunder Gulch), SW Summer Breezing (Langfuhr) and GISP Summer Solo (Arch)--the dam of...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Though she wasn't exactly perfect leaving the gate in her career debut Sunday, Carmel Coast (Omaha Beach) did everything else right in the fifth race at Saratoga Race Course. With a 5 1/2-length victory in the $100,000 maiden special weight contest for 2-year-old fillies, Carmel Coast was an emphatic best-in-class performer. Runner-up Lovely Christina (Vekoma) was 10 1/2 lengths in front of third-place filly, Essential Coffee (Nyquist). Carmel Beach and jockey Kendrick Carmouche reached the wire in 1:17.25 and paid $12.20. The Legion Bloodstock team identified...

After running headlong into 'TDN Rising Star' Brant (Gun Runner) in their mutual unveiling July 26, Balboa (Not This Time--Tap of War, by War Front) had his time in the California rays in Sunday's opener at Del Mar and earned his own 'Rising Star' honors while he was at it. A distant third in the aforementioned debut as the $3-million OBSMAR grad rolled away from that field, his stablemate earned a gaudy 101 Beyer for that victory while Balboa was still given an 80 despite being almost 10 lengths behind....

Looking to hand her freshman sire his first stakes score, Chopsticks (Essential Quality) was tough as nails down the lane as she stood on business in the Debutante Stakes at Ellis Park on Sunday afternoon. Chopsticks was a debut winner at Churchill Downs June 27 when she cleared and graduated by three lengths. Slammed at the windows to the tune of 70 cents on the dollar here, the juvenile raced in the three path up the backstretch as a longshot showed the way. The grey continued to fan wide around...

Make it an even dozen. On Saturday afternoon under the usual beautiful skies of a Southern Californian summer, Desert Gate (c, 2, Omaha Beach--Theogony, by Curlin) gave Hall of Famer Bob Baffert his 12th career win in the GIII Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar, in addition to the fourth consecutive victory in the race for the Baffert team. To make it even sweeter, Desert Gate also marked the third winner in the Best Pal for the ownership trio of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, as well as...

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced juveniles from a variety of top national outfits. Summer Breezes, sponsored by OBS Sales, highlights debuting and stakes-entered 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, including links to their under-tack previews. Here are the horses entered for Sunday at Saratoga and Del Mar. Sunday, July 27,...

5th-Ellis, $90,025, Msw, 7-20, 2yo, f, 1m (off turf), 1:40.05, gd, 1/2 length. TO A FLAME (f, 2, Justify--Moth {Ire} {G1SP-Eng, $121,393}, by Galileo {Ire}) came into this race with a July 12 move at Keeneland going four furlongs in :47.20 (2/46) and was in no rush after the jump as Undercover Agent (Omaha Beach) led the field through :23.43, :47.97, and 1:13.19 pressured splits. Splitting leaders at the quarter pole, she locked horns with the longtime frontrunner through midstretch, lost a bit of ground, but gamely came back in...

2nd-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 7-12, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.94, sy, 3 1/2 lengths. SPA PROSPECTOR (f, 2, Authentic--Pray for Leslie, by Bernardini) weakened to seventh June 6 at Churchill Downs when unveiled in a baby dash against fellow firsters. Back here against a mixed field but with experience under her belt as many of her opponents did not, the 5-1 shot broke outwardly at the start and bumped Jetty's Home (Enticed) in the process. The pair recovered from their bumper car beginning with Spa Prospector stepping out to control the pace...

Facing a field where nearly the entire group was making just their second career start, Kingsolver stepped up to break her maiden in style with a two-length win in the Schuylerville Stakes Friday. Fifth on debut at Churchill Downs going just a half-furlong shorter June 11, the $95,000 OBS March grad arguably outran her odds that day when beaten just 2 3/4 lengths while posting a 68 Beyer Speed Figure. Drawn just off the rail, Friday's 3-1 shot was keen to go and briefly held the top spot through the...

In the Hanshin Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sunday, Will Take It (Tapit) was up in the nick of time to take the race for owners Willis Horton and Mandy Pope. Since coming over from the care of trainer Eddie Milligan, Will Take It has become a mark of consistency. His 2025 campaign has included clearing an allowance condition at Fair Grounds Jan. 4 and a runner-up finish against optional claimers in New Orleans Feb. 1. The colt then won at that level next out at the track Mar. 8...