Huge Labor Day weekend yields three stakes winners for Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach, the nation’s leading Fourth-Crop sire, had a terrific Labor Day weekend, tallying three stakes winners over the holiday period.

Kicking off the black-type trifecta on Sept. 5 at Del Mar was the Spendthrift Farm LLC homebred filly Magnificat, who took the $100,000 Tranquility Lake S. by a widening 2 ½-lengths. After stumbling at the break, Magnificat trailed the field for the first half-mile before launching a huge rally that would carry her to victory.

Magnificat is 5-2-1 from nine starts and has earned $299,200. One of 31 stakes winners for Omaha Beach, Magnificat is the first foal to race out of Canadian champion filly Holy Helena.

Back at Del Mar on Sept. 6 the stakes veteran Desert Gate won the $125,000 Shared Belief S. in dominating fashion by 5 ½-lengths.

Winner of the Best Pal S. (G3) at two, 4-year-old Desert Gate won a pair of listed races at three as well. In the one-mile Shared Belief, Desert Gate sat patiently behind the pacesetter Mo Koko for six furlongs then shot to the lead before turning for home. He bounded away to win with ease.

“He was doing really great coming into this race,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “It’s fun to see him come back. He’s a fun horse to have. We can pick our spots with him.”

Desert Gate is owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. He is now 5-2-0 in ten starts and has earned $661,725. The chestnut colt was bred in Kentucky by Twin Oaks Bloodstock.

Omaha Spirit wrapped up the trio of added money winners Sept. 7 at Colonial Downs with her front-running score in the $125,000 Exacta Systems Rosie S. The 2-year-old filly is undefeated in two starts for trainer Wesley Ward. She was never headed in the 5 ½-furlong turf sprint, winning by 1 ¼-lengths. The filly is owned by Runnymede Farm, Callahan Equine, LLC, Jim Mastriani and Edgar Harty and was bred by Peter J. Callahan, Catesby Clay and Runnymede.