Kopion reminds trainer Richard Mandella of her sire, multiple grade 1 winner Omaha Beach . The ease with which the 4-year-old filly captured the Feb. 1 Santa Monica Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park certainly bolstered the opinion of the Hall of Famer who trained them both.
"She reminds me so much of Omaha Beach—her mind, everything," Mandella said. "He was stout, good-looking. They're not overly (stout); they're just right. He was sweet too, the nicest temperament I've ever dealt with."
Kopion, owned by Spendthrift Farm, impresses others as well, as evidenced by her going off as the 6-5 favorite in the Santa Monica against three Bob Baffert trainees. No one else dared challenge the quartet in the seven-furlong race that at one time was a grade 1 sprint, dropping to a grade 2 in 2013.
Hope Road, whose dam, Marley's Freedom, won the 2019 Santa Monica for Baffert, took the early lead, but jockey Antonio Fresu on Kopion didn't let her get too far ahead. All four stayed within close range of each other down the backstretch, with a half-length separating each of them after a quarter-mile in :22.67.
"Today was a smaller field, so I just tried to not be in the way," said Fresu, who was riding Kopion in a race for the first time. "I just thought to break well and sit right next to the leader—just keep it simple."
That allowed Kopion to range up outside of Hope Road in the turn and poke her nose in front. She kept her impressive moves for the stretch, drawing off with elan to score by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:21.27. The Baffert trio followed her, Hope Road ahead of Richi by 1 1/4 lengths and Splendora another 1 1/2 lengths back in fourth.
Kopion was winning her second consecutive graded race, having become a grade 1 winner in the Dec. 26 La Brea Stakes (G1). This is technically the first time Kopion has faced older runners, though only 5-year-old Richi is older. Splendora and Hope Road are also 4 and ran second and fourth, respectively, behind Kopion in the La Brea.
Prior to the La Brea, Kopion won in her only start at 2, and in three starts through April last year won the Santa Ynez Stakes (G3), ran second in the Las Virgenes Stakes (G3), and ran fourth in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2), her only attempt beyond a mile. Mandella elected to give her time off after that race.
"She had no big problem," said the trainer. "But we scanned her and her shin bones lit up. Nothing hurt, but she was just starting to ache and we gave her a break to give her time to grow up a little more."
Mandella grinned and added, "Resting has always improved my training."
He kids, but Mandella is known for his patience and his ability to train runners to perform well year after year. The Tin Man ran through his 9-year-old season, and Beholder won Eclipse Awards at 2, 3, 5, and 6. Mandella said "it's very tempting to think about trying" the March 8 B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) for Kopion.
"We haven't decided anything—we haven't even spoken about it much," Mandella added.
Spendthrift purchased Kopion for $270,000 from the Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consignment at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Tall Oaks Farm bred Kopion in Kentucky from its unraced homebred Victory Gallop mare Galloping Ami, who has also produced grade 3 winners Amis Gizmo and Ami's Flatter , plus stakes winner Aragorn Ami.
Omaha Beach stands at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington for a 2025 stud fee of $35,000. Under Mandella's tutelage, Omaha Beach won the 2019 Malibu Stakes (G1), Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G1), Arkansas Derby (G1), and Rebel Stakes (G2). He also finished second in that year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and never finished worse than third. Omaha Beach's stakes winners already include another grade 1 winner in And One More Time. Kopion is from the stallion's first crop.
