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Omaha Beach: Malibu, Pegasus Named As Post-Breeders’ Cup Targets

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While trainer Richard Mandella has not announced a final decision on a Breeders’ Cup race for Omaha Beach, the 3-year-old son of War Front is expected to race after the Nov. 2 World Championships. According to horseracingnation.com, the Grade 1 Malibu over seven furlongs on Dec. 26 is the current mid-range target, while the G1 Pegasus World Cup (nine furlongs) on Jan. 25 is planned as his final start before heading off to stud at Spendthrift Farm.

“Some people were talking about, ‘We don’t even want to pull for him. This is his last race,’” said Fox Hill Farm racing assistant Victoria Keith. “Well, we sure hope it’s not his last race.”

Pulled from the Kentucky Derby to undergo surgery for an entrapped epiglottis, Omaha Beach made his first start since winning the Arkansas Derby in the Oct. 5 G1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship. In that six-furlong race, he defeated the talented sprinter Shancelot by a head.

Mandella is leaning toward the Breeders’ Cup Sprint for Omaha Beach, according to Rick Porter. Other options include the Dirt Mile and the Classic.

Read more at horseracingnation.com.

The post Omaha Beach: Malibu, Pegasus Named As Post-Breeders’ Cup Targets appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Claiborne Farm Sets Debut Stud Fee For Demarchelier

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Claiborne Farm announced on Oct. 15 that the 2020 stud fee for new stallion Demarchelier will be set at $5,000 LFSN.

The only son of top sire Dubawi standing in Kentucky, Demarchelier presents a rare opportunity for breeders. He is out of a full-sister to champions Yesterday and Quarter Moon and boasts eight Grade/Group 1 winners under his first three dams.

Trained by Chad Brown for Peter M. Brant, Demarchelier was undefeated in his first three starts, including a victory in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont. He was purchased by Brant’s White Birch Farm for $592,486 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2017.

The post Claiborne Farm Sets Debut Stud Fee For Demarchelier appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Practical Joke Weanlings Lead Way at Saratoga Fall Sale

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A weanling colt from the first crop of three-time Grade I winner Practical Joke (Into Mischief) led the way bringing $160,000 from Steve Weston at Tuesday’s Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale.

Produced by the Running Stag mare Singing Doe, the New York-bred was consigned by RFHF Bloodstock LLC, agent, as Hip 238. The Feb. 12 foal, bred by by Hidden Lake Farm, 3C Thoroughbreds, West Point Thoroughbreds, et al, is a half-brother to Pain and Misery (Bob and John), SW & MGSP, $554,256.

A weanling New York-bred filly, also by Practical Joke, was the second-highest priced offering on the day, commanding a $150,000 bid from Exclusive Equine Investments. Hip 260, consigned by her breeder The New Hill Farm LLC, is out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Unicorn Kid. She is a half-sister to stakes winners Pure Lemon (Eskendereya) and Crafty Unicorn (Friends Lake).

Offspring of young sires were popular, with seven of the top 10 weanlings sold sired by stallions whose first crops are weanlings or yearlings.

Spa Treatment (Bernardini), in foal to Maclean’s Music, was the highest-priced broodmare to switch hands at the sale, bringing $140,000 from Gabriel Duignan’s Springhouse Farm. The winning Chester and Mary Broman homebred was consigned by Sequel New York as Hip 59. Produced by the stakes winning and Grade I-placed Silver Deputy mare Silver Knockers, she is a half-sister to the stakes winner Manipulated (Malibu Moon).

Overall, 134 horses changed hands for a total of $3,384,700, up slightly from last year’s gross of $3,381,200. The average and median were $25,259 and $15,000, respectively. Six horses sold for six figures or more, while 20 equaled or exceeded the $50,000 mark.

The post Practical Joke Weanlings Lead Way at Saratoga Fall Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Omaha Beach to Stay in Training Following Breeders’ Cup

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Owner Rick Porter still isn’t sure which Breeders’ Cup race his multiple Grade I winner Omaha Beach (War Front) will run in, but he knows that it won’t be the 3-year-old’s last race.

Porter told TDN that Omaha Beach will conclude his 3-year-old season in the GI Malibu S. and then will be pointed for the GI Pegasus Word Cup Invitational Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park. The Malibu is traditionally run Dec. 26.

“As long as he is doing well, we’re going to go in the Malibu,” Porter said. “It’s for straight 3-year-olds and probably would be an easy spot for him. I had talked to [trainer] Dick [Mandella] and asked him about running in the [GI] Cigar Mile and he said there was no point shipping all the way to New York, coming back to California and then going to Florida when he could stay home and run in the Malibu.”

The breeding rights to Omaha Beach were acquired by Spendthrift Farm in April after the colt won the GI Arkansas Derby and before he was a late scratch for the GI Kentucky Derby due to an entrapped epiglottis. Porter said that the contract he signed with Spendthrift includes a provision where the horse can run in the Pegasus.

“I hate to have to pay to get him into a race, but with a $9-million purse you can’t help but look at the Pegasus,” Porter said.

As far as whether Omaha Beach will race after the Pegasus or go to stud, Porter said that has yet to be determined. He said a final decision will be made after he consults with Spendthrift.

After being sidelined for nearly six months, Omaha Beach became the talk of racing when he caught the tough sprinter Shancelot (Shanghai Bobby) to win the GI Santa Anita Sprint Championship by a head in his return Sept. 28.

“This horse has a lot of talent,” Porter said. “One hundred yards before the wire in that race at Santa Anita I didn’t think he was going to win. It showed that this horse doesn’t like to lose.”

The Santa Anita Sprint was just Omaha Beach’s third start of the year, a reason why Porter and Mandella believe they should have a fresh horse after the Breeders’ Cup. Porter said he has left the decision on which race to enter in the Breeders’ Cup totally up to Mandella, and even though the trainer has not given him a definitive answer on what race he will choose, Porter said he’s all but certain the choice will be the GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“Unfortunately the Sprint is probably the toughest race among the three choices we have [Mandella has also mentioned the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and the GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic], but I’m almost positive that that is the race Dick is going to choose. He doesn’t think he can have him ready to go a mile-and-a-quarter in the Classic and he doesn’t believe the Dirt Mile is prestigious enough. I talk to him every day and with the way he has been talking I can tell that he’s made up his mind and wants to go in the Sprint.”

Porter believes that a victory in the Sprint will put Omaha Beach in the running for an Eclipse Award as the nation’s top sprinter and 3-year-old.

“We’d have to win the Classic to have any shot at Horse of the Year,” he said. “But I’d have to think he would be a strong candidate for 3-year-old and sprinter of the year if he were to win the Sprint. It would be hard to ignore what he’s accomplished this year.”

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