LOUISVILLE (WHAS11) -- When Omaha Beach won the Arkansas Derby a couple of weeks ago, he became the likely favorite for the Kentucky Derby.
But when jockey Mike Smith chose to ride Omaha over Bob Baffert's Roadster, the horse became a lock, the poster boy for Derby 145.
For Omaha Beach it was one more day on the track. It began with a gentle caress from the exercise rider.
Then an equally gentle gallop around the track, simply stretching his legs. And among the interested observers was jockey Mike Smith.
Smith said it was tough decision to make, when it came to who to ride on Derby day.
“Of course, thinking that I'm gonna get on the horse that I think is best. But this is a situation, I just ain't sure. They're both extremely talented. The positive thing that we go, going as far as Omaha Beach, he's doing extremely well. His training very good and I couldn't be happier with the way he looks. So, we'll just see if we made the right choice,” Smith said.
It was a tough choice. It was tough saying no to Baffert. But there's the quiet confidence of trainer Richard Mandella and the way Omaha Beach looks on the track.
“Like a ball of sunshine, just going around the race track, just floating over the ground. So, he's doing good. We're doing well. We'll draw tomorrow and see what we get. Then we can kinda stat planning the race up from that point,” Smith said.
Smith says they'll get a post position then start a game plan.
But he says, there's a lot of competition.
“Extremely tough. Very competitive. You've got, there's about eight horses, maybe even nine, that could win this and you wouldn't be shocked in the least. But in saying that, I certainly wouldn't change with no one right now,” Smith said.
Last year Smith rode Justify to the Triple Crown in what he calls a life-changing experience.
This year he chose Omaha Beach. That makes this combination the favorite on Derby Day.