Nevada Beach gets first stakes win in Los Alamitos Derby
June 28, 2025
Nevada Beach surged past Varney with about three furlongs to run in Saturday’s $100,000 Los Alamitos Derby, going on to win the 1 1/8-mile race by 4 ¼-lengths and top a Spendthrift-sired exacta.
Nevada Beach is the eighth stakes winner of 2025 for Omaha Beach, the across-the-board leader on this year’s Third-Crop Sire list.
Making just his third lifetime start, Nevada Beach raced just off the flank of Varney, a son of Vekoma who set fractions of :45.91 and 1:09.66. When he was given his cure, Nevada Beach eased past Varney and after a brief tussle in upper stretch, pulled away readily for an easy win.
“I could tell right away (Nevada Beach) was just bouncing over this surface,” said winning trainer Bob Baffert. “He got a hold of it immediately. I’ve always liked this surface here. This is where I get my 2-year-olds ready. Those are two really nice horses. When (Nevada Beach) broke his maiden, I remember telling his owners he’s going to run in the Affirmed (at Santa Anita) and win there, then win the Los Alamitos Derby and then go to the Travers. After (stablemate) Gaming beat him in the Affirmed it was kind of disappointing, but Gaming is a good horse and he’s starting to circle back to his best form. This horse just flourished over this track and he was just getting going there at the end.”
Nevada Beach is owned by Baffert’s long-time friends Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. The dark bay son of Omaha Beach is 2-1-0 in three starts and has earned $116,500.
Nevada Beach was bred in Kentucky by Paul Tackett Revocable Trust, Phil Tackett Estate & Christy Tackett.