Tag: omaha beach

Amoss Filly Fights It Out, Wins Spa Maiden

The one thing trainer Tom Amoss knew about his starter in Sunday's sixth race at Saratoga was that if she got into a fight in the stretch she would be able to handle it. That proved to be the case in the 6 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies. Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Alys Beach (Omaha Beach) scored a game win, out-battling the Todd Pletcher-trained Life Talk (Gun Runner) to win by a head.

“On the track, she showed her competitiveness in practice,” Amoss said. “She needed that today.”

Amoss has had a lot of success with horses who didn't necessarily break the bank at the sales and Alys Beach is no exception. He bought her for $120,000 at Keeneland September for owner Greg Tramontin.

“She was a very good looking yearling that I picked out for Greg,” Amoss said.

Alys Beach had her first recorded workout on May 4 at Keeneland. After two workouts in Saratoga, including a five-furlong work on July 19 in 1:02 1/5, Gaffalione knew what he had.

“I got familiar with her in her last work,” he said. “She went really well that day. We sat outside a horse and she kicked to the wire full of energy and galloped out strong. She showed she has a great mind.”

Alys Beach was fourth early on and was three wide. In upper stretch, Gaffalione made the decision to dart to the rail. She got past 2-1 favorite Mugen (Into Mischief), took a narrow lead and then had to dig down to hold off  Life Talk.

“She put it all together today,” Gaffalione said. “When I dove back into the rail she didn't hesitate at all. She did everything I asked her to.”

It wasn't the trip Amoss had hoped for.

“I was recalling that 10 minutes earlier, I was telling Tyler, `I think the rail is the wrong place to be; try to go around,'” Amoss said. “That's what I was thinking.”

Alys Beach, overlooked at the windows, paid $18.60 and completed the distance in 1:18.58.

Mugen is a $1.2 million yearling purchase at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga. She held a one-length lead at the eighth-pole but couldn't fight off Alys Beach or Life Talk. She lost by 3 1/4 lengths.

Amoss is off to an excellent start at Saratoga. He's 3-for-5 at the meet and has sent out three straight winners.

“I'm loving riding for Tom,” Gaffalione said. “He's been so good to me. Tom has a great team behind him and they do a really good job.”

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Carmouche To Serve Spa ‘Careless Riding’ Suspension Thu-Sat

Jockey Kendrick Carmouche has opted not to appeal a three-day “careless riding” suspension imposed by the Saratoga Race Course stewards and will sit out the penalty this Thursday, July 27, through Saturday, July 29.

The infraction occurred in Saratoga's sixth race July 20, a 5 1/2-furlong MSW turf sprint for 2-year-old fillies. He was aboard Parade Ring (Ire), (Night of Thunder {Ire}), a 44-1 first-time-starter who finished third.

The Equibase chart explained that Parade Ring was “a bit fractious in the gate prior to the start, was backed out and reloaded, chased along the inside just off the pace, came under coaxing near the quarter pole, angled three to four wide into upper stretch, dug in under a drive, then came under a very active right handed rein and came inwards bumping Neom Beach (Omaha Beach) solidly off stride just outside the sixteenth marker, came in again, the rider continuing to go to the right handed rein encouragement nearly using it as a crop and brushed with that same foe seventy yards from home before prevailing in the battle for the show honors.”

Neom Beach finished fifth. There was an inquiry but no disqualification.

Carmouche is 5-for-37 at the Saratoga meet. He's the third jockey there this season penalized three days for careless riding, joining Flavien Prat (who will serve his days Wednesday through Friday this week) and Tyler Gaffalione (who has been granted a stay pending the outcome of an appeal).

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Omaha Beach’s First Rising Star Ready for Next Step

The Starlight Racing and Harrell Ventures partnership was always excited about their well-bred son of Omaha Beach named Pirate, but their anticipation for the colt's debut reached an all-time high when he was assigned the infamous first stall adjacent to Todd Pletcher's office at his barn on the Oklahoma.

“We've been working with Todd for 23 years and it's hard to get him to get really excited about a horse,” joked Starlight's founder and managing partner Jack Wolf. “But you could tell that he liked ours from the get-go.”

Pirate fulfilled all expectations in his debut last Saturday when he rolled to a three-length victory to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The Peter Blum-bred half-brother to GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road) was not only the first Rising Star of the Saratoga season, but also the first to earn the accolade for his freshman sire Omaha Beach.

Spendthrift sire Omaha Beach received a warm welcome at stud in 2020 as a three-time Grade I-winning son of War Front from the family of influential broodmare Take Charge Lady (Dehere). Omaha Beach now has four winners on the year so far, include Group 3-placed Launch.

Frankie Brothers, who is now retired as an agent and member of the Keeneland inspection team, was the one who encouraged the Starlight team to pursue the first crop of Omaha Beach.

“I give all the credit to Frankie Brothers,” said Starlight's racing manager Corbin Blumberg. “Prior to the sale, he called me and told me that the Omaha Beach horses were standouts physically. So going into the September Sale, we definitely had our eye out and were lucky that [Pirate] was the one that we were able to get. We really liked him and we were thrilled to get him for $350,000. To be honest, we thought we were going to have to stretch a bit for him. Doug Cauthen loved him as well. Physically, he was really correct. He had a great hind end and a really good top.”

“Personality-wise, too, he's just a real laid-back, cool horse,” added Wolf.

Wolf shared that Pirate came out of his first race in good order and that Pletcher has indicated that the colt will point to either the Aug. 12 GII Saratoga Special S. or the Sept. 4 GI Hopeful S.

“As usual, Todd will let the horse tell him, but just hanging out this morning, he looks like he's ready to do something again,” Wolf said.

The Starlight team is looking forward to finding out how Omaha Beach's best qualities will develop in this promising young son of his.

“War Front gets a lot of early 2-year-olds and Omaha Beach had that class on dirt,” explained Blumberg. “I think Pirate has the best of both worlds. He's obviously a precocious 2-year-old, but he showed on Saturday the ability on dirt that we love.”

Until Pirate's return to the starting gate, his connections will continue to celebrate a memorable Saratoga debut.

“For him to win like he did and become a Rising Star is super exciting,” said Blumberg. “Hopefully the rest of the meet goes as we hope. We're excited to have a horse like him in the barn with the Harrells and Todd.”

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A ‘Pirate’s Life For Him: Son Of Omaha Beach Is Newest ‘TDN Rising Star’

Few Todd Pletcher first-time starters fail to live up to their billing if they break as 1-5 favorites and Pirate (Omaha Beach) kept that trend rolling with a three-length win to graduate at Saratoga and become the Spa's first 2023 'TDN Rising Star' and the first for his freshman sire (by War Front).

Never under the radar, the 2-year-old half-brother to GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road) took all the money and quickly silenced any doubt about his inside draw with a quick beginning under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Arteta (Take Charge Indy) joined him in a sprint to the front and the pair stayed in close quarters through opening fractions of :22.26 and :45.70. Tucked against the rail around the turn, Pirate kicked on as his rival faded back and was set down with a furlong to run. Second-time starter Just Steel (Justify), a $500,000 KEESEP yearling, chased him to the wire but was never a threat, as Pirate sailed to the easy win.

“He got away alertly, but they put a lot of pressure on him early,” said Pletcher. “I thought it was a good performance and very professional like he's been since we got him.”

All things equal, Pirate will be considered for the seven-furlong GI Hopeful S. Sept. 4.

“We'll play it by ear. Normally we'd wait for the Hopeful, but we'll see how things go,” said Pletcher, who saddled 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) to victory in last year's renewal.

The fourth overall winner for Omaha Beach, Pirate is a half to the aforementioned National Treasure along with Ultimate (Speightstown), SW, $362,556, recent winner of the Iowa Sprint S. Treasure is herself a half to a pair of graded-stakes performers as well as MSW Inspired (Unbridled's Song), the dam of GSP Carmel Road (Quality Road) and the dams of Vow (Union Rags), an impressive allowance winner at Horseshoe Indianapolis July 6 and Blum's Top Secret (Uncle Mo), a 5 1/2-length maiden winner at Ellis Park last month. Under the third dam is MGSW/GISP Multiple Choice (Mt. Livermore) and GI Clark H. victor Leofric (Candy Ride {Arg}). Treasure is responsible for a yearling filly by the Blum-bred Horse of the Year Authentic named Renoir and was bred to Quality Road for a full-sibling to National Treasure in 2023 but failed to produce a live foal.

1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 7-15, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04.89, ft, 3 lengths.
PIRATE, c, 2, Omaha Beach
                1st Dam: Treasure, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Proposal, by Mt. Livermore
                3rd Dam: Lady of Choice, by Storm Bird
Sales History: $350,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Harrell Ventures, LLC and Starlight Racing; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

 

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