The following is an excerpt from an article posted yesterday in the
Bloodhorse.
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At Churchill, trainer Richard Mandella opted to wait on working likely Kentucky Derby morning-line favorite Omaha Beach Friday morning, instead sending the Arkansas Derby (GI) winner out for a trip to the starting gate and a 1 1/2-mile gallop over a track rated as good after early morning rain.
"I was going to work him today, but the track is just going to be better tomorrow," Mandella said Friday. "Then I looked at my training charts and realized I had worked him five-eighths seven days before the last stakes. Why get creative?"
Mandella cautioned not to expect a big work out of the son of War Front who won a division of the Rebel Stakes (G2) as well.
"He's had enough racing," the trainer said, also noting that jockey Mike Smith will not be working him as had been planned prior to the weather-related changes.
