Minnesota-bred star Mr. Jagermeister to take on Omaha Beach

Mr Jagermeister, a 4-year-old Minnesota-bred who has won 10 of 17 starts, most recently taking Sunday’s $100,000 Crocrock Minnesota Sprint Championship by 5 1/4 lengths at Canterbury Park, has a tougher stakes assignment up next.

After the Atta Boy Roy colt covered six furlongs in a winning time of 1:09.87, trainer Valorie Lund said a trip to Churchill Downs for the Grade 3, $150,000 Ack Ack on Sept. 28 is likely.

“A one-turn mile,” Lund noted. “I think it’ll be right up his alley.”

It could also mean a meeting with come-backing Omaha Beach, the former Kentucky Derby favorite who scratched the week of the race to undergo throat surgery. Based in California with Richard Mandella, Omaha Beach had his return further delayed recently due to a virus making its rounds at Del Mar.

“He never got a fever,” Mandella said last month. “It was just mucus — a snotty nose — and it seems like it’s passed through pretty quick.”

Omaha Beach won the Arkansas Derby (G1) in his most-recent start, but that has been since April. Now, he’ll be going against older rivals off the bench.

“It’s kind of getting to where you don’t have many options,” Mandella said. “I’d rather not, but I like the horse I’ve got.”

As for the competition, Mr. Jagermeister will be making his second graded stakes start after running last of six in the 2018 San Vicente Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park. He has gone on from there to win races at Canterbury, Turf Paradise, Oaklawn Park and Colonial Downs.

Nominations for the Ack Ack, which could serve as a springboard to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile or Classic, close Sept. 14.