With his final work in the books for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (USA-I), Omaha Beach looks as ready as a colt can be for the challenge of his young life. He has the performance, coming into the Derby with a Grade I win in the Arkansas Derby under his belt. He has the seasoning with two straight victories over quality opposition and good-sized fields. He has the connections, with Hall of Famer Richard Mandella as trainer, Hall of Famer Mike Smith as jockey, and Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms as owner. And he has the pedigree. Sired by the top stallion War Front (who is also represented by Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford, USA-II, winner War of Will), he is a grandson of 2013 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady, whose legacy continues to expand in 2019.
Omaha Beach is actually one of two grandsons of Take Charge Lady in the Run for the Roses. The other is Rebel Stakes (USA-II) winner Long Range Toddy, a son of Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy x Take Charge Lady) who was a solid fourth behind Omaha Beach in the Arkansas Derby. The winner of the 2012 Florida Derby (USA-I), Take Charge Indy was the first stakes winner for Take Charge Lady, who followed up the following year by producing 2013 American champion 3-year-old male Will Take Charge (by Unbridled's Song).
While both of Take Charge Lady's Grade I winners were sired by elite stallions, they certainly did not owe all their quality to their sires, for Take Charge Lady was a formidable talent in her own right. The best of three stakes winners produced from the unraced Rubiano mare Felecita, Take Charge Lady won eight graded stakes during her career including the 2002 Ashland Stakes (USA-I) and the 2002 and 2003 editions of the Overbrook Spinster Stakes (USA-I). Bred to Seeking the Gold before being offered at the 2004 Keeneland November Sale, she went for US$4.2 million to Eaton Sales, which bred nine foals from her before selling her privately to the Coolmore affiliate Orpendale. Her most recent foal is a 2017 filly by American Pharoah.
Charming, the foal Take Charge Lady was carrying at the time of her sale to Eaton, is no small part of her continuing legacy. She made only two starts before breaking down, but prior to producing Omaha Beach, Charming produced 2014 American champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi (by Giant's Causeway) as her second foal. The dam of the unraced 2-year-old Take Charge Curlin (by Curlin) as her first foal, Take Charge Brandi has since produced 2018 and 2019 colts by Tapit. Charming's second daughter, Take Charge Tressa (by War Front), never raced but will also see her first foal come to the races this year, the Tapit filly Take Charge Glenda. Like Take Charge Brandi, Take Charge Tressa has regally-bred foals of 2018 (by Tapit), and 2019 (by Curlin) waiting in the wings. Charming has not produced a foal since Omaha Beach (she visited American Pharoah this spring), but with her daughters getting opportunities like these, her position as an influential broodmare seems secure.
Elarose, Take Charge Lady's 2007 daughter by Storm Cat, has so far been a disappointment in the breeding shed, but she has plenty of opportunities for redemption with the 2017 filly Eloisa (by Tapit) , a 2018 colt by Union Rags, and a 2019 filly by Quality Road in the pipeline. Take Charge Lady has two other daughters just beginning their producing careers, the winners I'll Take Charge (by Indian Charlie) and Conquering (by War Front), and they too are getting top-class opportunities. If there was ever a mare on the edge of seeing her family catapult her into matriarchal status, Take Charge Lady is it.
Take Charge Lady's legacy as a dam of sires is less certain, as Take Charge Indy was sold to Korea in 2016, leaving just three American-sired crops behind. His first crop, 4-year-olds of 2019, has so far yielded seven North American stakes winners (including Grade II winner Noble Indy and Grade III winner Take Charge Paula) as well as a Venezuelan Group I winner and a Russian Group II winner. Long Range Toddy is the only stakes winner thus far from his second crop, though he has several graded-placed runners. As for Will Take Charge, his first crop, foals of 2016, has yielded just one North American stakes winner thus far, though he does have a Russian Group I winner to his credit. Neither Take Charge Indy nor Will Take Charge were the kind of horses that could reasonably be expected to sire a lot of precocious runners, but the American stallion market is not noted for its patience. Still, either could come up with a top runner at any time, and if Omaha Beach wins the Kentucky Derby, he should have no trouble in getting the kind of stud opportunities that can keep Take Charge Lady's legacy charging forward.
Omaha Beach is actually one of two grandsons of Take Charge Lady in the Run for the Roses. The other is Rebel Stakes (USA-II) winner Long Range Toddy, a son of Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy x Take Charge Lady) who was a solid fourth behind Omaha Beach in the Arkansas Derby. The winner of the 2012 Florida Derby (USA-I), Take Charge Indy was the first stakes winner for Take Charge Lady, who followed up the following year by producing 2013 American champion 3-year-old male Will Take Charge (by Unbridled's Song).
While both of Take Charge Lady's Grade I winners were sired by elite stallions, they certainly did not owe all their quality to their sires, for Take Charge Lady was a formidable talent in her own right. The best of three stakes winners produced from the unraced Rubiano mare Felecita, Take Charge Lady won eight graded stakes during her career including the 2002 Ashland Stakes (USA-I) and the 2002 and 2003 editions of the Overbrook Spinster Stakes (USA-I). Bred to Seeking the Gold before being offered at the 2004 Keeneland November Sale, she went for US$4.2 million to Eaton Sales, which bred nine foals from her before selling her privately to the Coolmore affiliate Orpendale. Her most recent foal is a 2017 filly by American Pharoah.
Charming, the foal Take Charge Lady was carrying at the time of her sale to Eaton, is no small part of her continuing legacy. She made only two starts before breaking down, but prior to producing Omaha Beach, Charming produced 2014 American champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi (by Giant's Causeway) as her second foal. The dam of the unraced 2-year-old Take Charge Curlin (by Curlin) as her first foal, Take Charge Brandi has since produced 2018 and 2019 colts by Tapit. Charming's second daughter, Take Charge Tressa (by War Front), never raced but will also see her first foal come to the races this year, the Tapit filly Take Charge Glenda. Like Take Charge Brandi, Take Charge Tressa has regally-bred foals of 2018 (by Tapit), and 2019 (by Curlin) waiting in the wings. Charming has not produced a foal since Omaha Beach (she visited American Pharoah this spring), but with her daughters getting opportunities like these, her position as an influential broodmare seems secure.
Elarose, Take Charge Lady's 2007 daughter by Storm Cat, has so far been a disappointment in the breeding shed, but she has plenty of opportunities for redemption with the 2017 filly Eloisa (by Tapit) , a 2018 colt by Union Rags, and a 2019 filly by Quality Road in the pipeline. Take Charge Lady has two other daughters just beginning their producing careers, the winners I'll Take Charge (by Indian Charlie) and Conquering (by War Front), and they too are getting top-class opportunities. If there was ever a mare on the edge of seeing her family catapult her into matriarchal status, Take Charge Lady is it.
Take Charge Lady's legacy as a dam of sires is less certain, as Take Charge Indy was sold to Korea in 2016, leaving just three American-sired crops behind. His first crop, 4-year-olds of 2019, has so far yielded seven North American stakes winners (including Grade II winner Noble Indy and Grade III winner Take Charge Paula) as well as a Venezuelan Group I winner and a Russian Group II winner. Long Range Toddy is the only stakes winner thus far from his second crop, though he has several graded-placed runners. As for Will Take Charge, his first crop, foals of 2016, has yielded just one North American stakes winner thus far, though he does have a Russian Group I winner to his credit. Neither Take Charge Indy nor Will Take Charge were the kind of horses that could reasonably be expected to sire a lot of precocious runners, but the American stallion market is not noted for its patience. Still, either could come up with a top runner at any time, and if Omaha Beach wins the Kentucky Derby, he should have no trouble in getting the kind of stud opportunities that can keep Take Charge Lady's legacy charging forward.
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