By Bill Finley
The one thing trainer Tom Amoss knew about his starter in Sunday's sixth race at Saratoga was that if she got into a fight in the stretch she would be able to handle it. That proved to be the case in the 6 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies. Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Alys Beach (Omaha Beach) scored a game win, out-battling the Todd Pletcher-trained Life Talk (Gun Runner) to win by a head.
“On the track, she showed her competitiveness in practice,” Amoss said. “She needed that today.”
Amoss has had a lot of success with horses who didn't necessarily break the bank at the sales and Alys Beach is no exception. He bought her for $120,000 at Keeneland September for owner Greg Tramontin.
“She was a very good looking yearling that I picked out for Greg,” Amoss said.
Alys Beach had her first recorded workout on May 4 at Keeneland. After two workouts in Saratoga, including a five-furlong work on July 19 in 1:02 1/5, Gaffalione knew what he had.
“I got familiar with her in her last work,” he said. “She went really well that day. We sat outside a horse and she kicked to the wire full of energy and galloped out strong. She showed she has a great mind.”
Alys Beach was fourth early on and was three wide. In upper stretch, Gaffalione made the decision to dart to the rail. She got past 2-1 favorite Mugen (Into Mischief), took a narrow lead and then had to dig down to hold off Life Talk.
“She put it all together today,” Gaffalione said. “When I dove back into the rail she didn't hesitate at all. She did everything I asked her to.”
It wasn't the trip Amoss had hoped for.
“I was recalling that 10 minutes earlier, I was telling Tyler, `I think the rail is the wrong place to be; try to go around,'” Amoss said. “That's what I was thinking.”
Alys Beach, overlooked at the windows, paid $18.60 and completed the distance in 1:18.58.
Mugen is a $1.2 million yearling purchase at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga. She held a one-length lead at the eighth-pole but couldn't fight off Alys Beach or Life Talk. She lost by 3 1/4 lengths.
Amoss is off to an excellent start at Saratoga. He's 3-for-5 at the meet and has sent out three straight winners.
“I'm loving riding for Tom,” Gaffalione said. “He's been so good to me. Tom has a great team behind him and they do a really good job.”
2YO ALYS BEACH, by @spendthriftfarm stallion Omaha Beach, battles for the win down the stretch in the 6th under @Tyler_Gaff for @TomAmossRacing! #Saratoga pic.twitter.com/QfrqruG26Z
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) July 30, 2023
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