Omaha Beach is the 4-1 early favorite to win the Run for the Roses after drawing the No. 12 post on Tuesday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Knowing their favored horses won’t start the Kentucky Derby on the rail left Richard Mandella and Bob Baffert more relieved than happy.
What matters for the Hall of Fame trainers is turning workable starting spots into victory – and a long-sought celebration for Mandella.
Omaha Beach is the 4-1 early favorite for Saturday’s 145th Run for the Roses after drawing the No. 12 post position on Tuesday. That could be a good sign for the colt and Mandella, considering that the horse favored to win the Derby has taken the past six.
“I hope it comes out that way,” Mandell said.
Baffert-trained Game Winner is the 5-1 second choice from the No. 16 post in the 20-horse field for the first leg of the Triple Crown.
Game Winner will start inside stablemate Roadster, the 6-1 co-third choice with Improbable, a Baffert colt who will go off from the No. 5 hole in the 1¼-mile race at Churchill Downs.
Omaha Beach enters the $3 million showcase on a three-race winning streak. The dark brown colt is coming off a one-length victory in the slop over Improbable in the Arkansas Derby, a race that demonstrated his recent knack for getting up front quickly and staying there.
Mandella believes Omaha Beach and Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who won last year’s Derby for Baffert aboard Justify, will make the most of his spot.
