Omaha Beach’s Kopion earns Grade 1 honors with La Brea S. win

Kopion made a triumphant return to the races in Thursday’s $300,000 La Brea S. (G1), winning the seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies by 2 ¾-length to give Omaha Beach is second career Grade 1 winner.

Kopion joins And One More Time, winner of the Natalma S. (G1) in September, as the second Grade 1 winner for her sire. Omaha Beach is dominating this year’s Second-Crop sire list, with 11 stakes winners, 21 stakes horses, three graded winners, and nearly $8 million in progeny earnings.

Kopion, winner of the Santa Ynez S. (G3) in early January, hadn’t been seen since the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) early April. Under the care of Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, the Spendthrift Farm colorbearer emerged from an early tussle to be second to Sandy Bottom after a quarter-mile. Kopion willingly took the lead midway on the turn to open up a two-length lead at the top of the stretch. She powered through the lane to win handily in 1:22.08 on a fast track.

“We are high as a kite right now,” said Spendthrift’s Eric Gustavson. “We had a bunch of friends and family come in for the race. It was such a crazy day because we had Tamara and she scratched. We got the text from Richard (about the scratch) this morning, so we were all down. Now this. This is racing. It is great. This is such a big deal. A Grade One winner on the dirt for Omaha Beach. All glory to God, we are over the moon.”

“I thought about putting her in the Las Flores, but there is only one Grade I,” added Mandella. “She has been getting better and better. I told [jockey] Kaz [Kimura] that she is quick and you don’t need to rush her.”

Kopion has won three of her five starts, with one second, and earned $314,600. She was bred in Kentucky by Tall Oaks Farm.