Clair de Lune ‘22, a daughter of popular young stallion Omaha Beach, was acquired late in the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale for $100,000.

An under-the-radar type that the MyRacehorse bloodstock team has done so well finding at past renewals of the Maryland auction (see GSWs Straight No Chaser and Duke of Love), the Apr. 6 foal turned in a steady and responsive :10 3/5 breeze and solid gallop out (:11 3/5, :24 4/5) that you’d expect from a two-turn horse.

Upon physical inspection, she presented herself with an efficient walk and plenty of balance. She has a large nostril and an intelligent eye. The dark bay gave the impression of one who should improve with time and distance.

Young sire Omaha Beach, whose first runners are sophomores, has proven very popular among breeders and buyers. His stud fee held strong in 2024 at $40,000, and his 2-year-olds this season have fetched as much as $510,000. Omaha Beach is currently second on the North American second-crop sire list by earnings, and leads that group by both black-type horses and Grade 1 stakes horses. His percentage of black-type horses to starters has been particularly strong–at 12.82% as of June 12, 2024–placing him behind only Justify among all U.S. sires with a meaningful number of foals and starters.

Dam Clair de Lune possessed good miler speed, taking a New York maiden special weight and allowance each by open lengths. She is by accomplished broodmare sire Malibu Moon, who has responsible for the dams of MG1SW fillies like Stellar Wind, Bellafina and By the Moon as well as the dam of this year’s leading sophomore colt Sierra Leone.

Hailing from a family that has earned plenty of black-type at a variety of venues, Clair de Lune is a relative of the great near $4-million earner and five-time G1SW Devil His Due.

Clair de Lune ‘22 is currently on post-sale turnout to allow her to let down from the rigors of the auction process and allow her shins to settle due to some soreness that is extremely common in young horses at this stage of their development. After 60-90 days at Peacefield Farm in Temecula, CA she’ll ship to the barn of none other than Hall of Famer Richard Mandella on the SoCal circuit.

Mandella guided Omaha Beach himself to victories in the 2019 G1 Arkansas Derby, G1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship and G1 Malibu S., and has also been at the helm of the career of Omaha Beach’s most accomplished runner to date, the graded stakes-winning filly Kopion.

Mandella and MyRacehorse have also had plenty of success together, teaming up to campaign graded stakes winners Forbidden Kingdom, Lane Way, Moonlight d’Oro and Tizamagician.