After his blistering finish on October 5 in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, Omaha Beach‘s (War Front) connections had choices: The $2 million Sprint at six furlongs, the $6 million Longines Classic at a mile and a quarter or the $1 million Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile. “We put our heads together and that’s the decision,” said trainer Richard Mandella, the others being owner Rick Porter and regular rider Mike Smith. Together they picked the Dirt Mile which was announced on Thursday morning.
There is hefty competition awaiting Omaha Beach.
Dirt Mile Contenders https://www.breederscup.com/contenders/123
• Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags), also entered in the Sprint
• War of Will (War Front), also entered in the Classic
• Coal Front (Stay Thirsty)
• Mr. Money (Goldencents)
• Firenze Fire (Poseidon’s Warrior), also entered in the Sprint
• Catholic Boy (More Than Ready), also entered in the TVG Mile
• Diamond Oops (Lookin At Lucky), also entered in the Classic
• Improbable (City Zip)
• Air Strike (Street Sense)
• Great Expectations (Frost Giant)
• Gray Magician (Graydar), also entered in the Classic
• Mr. Freeze (To Honor and Serve)
• True Timber (Mineshaft)
• Snapper Sinclair (City Zip)
• Ambassadorial (Elusive Quality)
• Blue Chipper (Tiznow)
• Trais Fluors (Dansili {GB})
TDN reported that in an exchange of text messages Wednesday, trainer Chad Brown said he is “leaning” toward running Bricks and Mortar (Giant’s Causeway) in the $4 million Longines Turf rather than the $2 million TVG Mile. However, to keep his options open Brown said that he would enter the 5-year-old in both races. A win in either race may be necessary in order for Bricks and Mortar to have a shot at the Horse of the Year title.
In his last two starts this year, Bricks and Mortar excelled at a one and a quarter miles, winning the G1 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes and the G1 Arlington Million Stakes, both at that distance according to equibase. He has never run one and a half miles, the distance of the Turf, but his running style and pedigree suggest that he can handle the added distance. Bricks and Mortar is three-for-three at a mile, but he has not run at that distance this year.
The Racing Post reported Tuesday that Enable (Nathaniel {Ire}) will not contest the Breeders’ Cup Turf. With Enable no longer under consideration, Bricks and Mortar would be the likely favorite. 2018 BC Turf runner-up Magical (IRE), a 4-year-old daughter of Galileo (IRE), is not listed among the contenders on the Breeders’ Cup site.
Longines Turf Contenders
• Acclimate (Association)
• Arklow (Arch)
• Channel Marker (English Channel)
• Channel Cat (English Channel)
• Bandau (The Factor)
• Cleopatra’s Strike (Smart Strike)
• Desert Encounter (IRE) (Halling)
• Old Persian (GB) (Dubawi {IRE})
• Alounak (FR) (Camelot {GB})
• Anthony Van Dyke (IRE) (Galileo {IRE})
TVG Mile Contenders https://www.breederscup.com/contenders/120
• Got Stormy (Get Stormy)
• Bowies Hero (Artie Schiller)
• El Tormenta (Stormy Atlantic)
• Lord Glitters (FR) (Whipper)
• Romanised (IRE) (Holy Roman Emperor {IRE})
• Uni (GB) (More Than Ready), also entered in the F&M Turf
• Catholic Boy (More Than Ready)
• True Valour (IRE) (Kodiac {GB})
• Caribou Club (City Zip)
• Catapult (Kitten’s Joy)
• Restrainedvengence (Hold Me Back)
• Suedois (FR) (Le Havre {IRE})
• Line of Duty (IRE) (Galileo {IRE})
• Circus Maximus (IRE) (Galileo {IRE})
• Iredessa (IRE) (Ruler of The World {IRE}), also entered in the F&M Turf
• Mustashry (GB) (Tamayuz {GB})
• Space Traveler (GB) (Bated Breath {GB})
• Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro), also entered in the Classic
Photos: Omaha Beach, Zoe Metz Photography; Bricks and Mortar, Steve Heuertz
