Omaha Beach has home-field edge

The 15 horses who were preentered Monday in the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita are based on three different continents, and have made their last starts over nine different racetracks. The dynamic mix is led by Omaha Beach, a winner of his last four starts and the 6-5 favorite on the early line set by Daily Racing Form handicapper Brad Free.

Blue Chipper represents the hopes of Korea, having won his sixth consecutive race there last month in the Group 1 Korea Sprint at Seoul Racecourse Park. Ambassadorial and Trais Fluors – whose first preference is the BC Mile – are based in Europe.

Trais Fluors is one of six horses who have made the Dirt Mile their second preference in non-binding designations.

Catalina Cruiser, Diamond Oops, Firenze Fire, Hog Creek Hustle, and Whitmore have made the BC Sprint their first preference and would get into that race were they to opt for it when final entries are taken Monday.

The Dirt Mile pre-entries also include Coal Front, Improbable, Mr. Money, and Spun to Run, who all made their last starts at Parx Racing. Giant Expectations, who has run in the last two editions of the Dirt Mile, was pre-entered again this year. Snapper Sinclar made the Dirt Mile his first preference while also being pre-entered in the BC Mile.

Omaha Beach has much in his favor as a two-time winner over the main track at Santa Anita and coming off a dazzling victory in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship. His obstacles will include a talented cast of rivals.

Omaha Beach worked a sharp six furlongs in 1:12.93 on Wednesday, according to DRF clocker Mike Welsch.

“It’s the Breeders’ Cup so I’m sure there’s several good horses in there,” trainer Richard Mandella said Tuesday. “But I think he’s one of the best I’ve ever had. I think he fits with anybody.”

Omaha Beach began his streak in February with a maiden win at Santa Anita. He then captured a division of the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn and returned to take the track’s Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby. Omaha Beach was then forced to scratch from the Kentucky Derby.

“Entrapped epiglottis,” Mandella said. “We did the normal procedure to split the tissue that entrapped it and the only problem we had was a lot of swelling in the area that wouldn’t go down. It took a little more time than normal.”

Omaha Beach made a triumphant return to the races Oct. 5 in the Sprint Championship. He was relentless along the rail, winning his six-furlong comeback in 1:08.79. Omaha Beach earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 103, a career high for the horse, who has managed to put up a new top Beyer with each succeeding start.

Mike Smith has the mount. Rafael Bejarano will ride Grade 1 winner Improbable, the runner-up in the Arkansas Derby. Flavien Prat has the mount on Blue Chipper, who like Catalina Cruiser boasts a 7-for-8 career record. Coal Front won the Group 2 Godolphin Mile in March while Mr. Money won four consecutive Grade 3 stakes from May through August. The group’s top Beyer, a 110, was put up by Spun to Run last out in the Michael P. Ballezzi Appreciation Mile.