Omaha Beach, unraced since a win in the Arkansas Derby in April, caught 1-5 Shancelot in the final strides to win Saturday's Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Omaha Beach rallied on the rail through the stretch to lead late, prevailing by a head over Shancelot, who set the pace.

Flagstaff (9-1) finished fourth, followed by California Street, Horse Greedy and One Flew South.

Omaha Beach ($7.20) ran six furlongs in 1:08.79. The $300,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship was the shortest race of his eight-race career and his fourth win.

Omaha Beach, trained by Richard Mandella for Rick Porter, was the morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby but missed the race because of an entrapped epiglottis. Omaha Beach was scheduled to start in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar in August, but missed the race because of illness.

Mandella considered the Grade 3 Ack Ack Stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 28 before choosing to start Omaha Beach on Saturday.