LOUISVILLE, Ky. _ Omaha Beach, to be ridden by last year's Triple Crown-winning jockey Mike Smith, enters Saturday's 145th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs as the 4-1 morning-line favorite after Tuesday's post-position draw.
Trained by Richard Mandella, Omaha Beach will start in the No. 12 post and comes in on a three-race winning streak in seven starts, including, the Arkansas Derby and the Rebel Stakes.
Second choice, as selected by Churchill Downs and Keeneland oddsmaker Mike Battaglia, was Game Winner at 5-1, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile champion.
Smith had his choice of mounts between Omaha Beach and co-third choice Roadster (6-1), but eschewed a chance to repeat with Justify-trainer Bob Baffert for the Omaha Beach mount. Baffert, a five-time Derby and two-time Triple Crown winner, also has Game Winner (5-1) and Improbable (6-1).
Omaha Beach ranked first among those voting in the final 2019 Kentucky Derby Media Poll released Monday by HorseRacingNation.com. The poll offered clues to the parity of the field, however, with six horses receiving first-place votes. Omaha Beach led the pack with 13 first-place nods, followed by Game Winner with four.
