Shared Belief coasts wire to wire in comeback

Shared Belief was unextended while advancing his record to four-for-four (Vassar Photography) Last year’s champion two-year-old male Shared Belief remained unbeaten after posting a comfortable, front-running victory in his comeback in Monday’s 4TH race at Golden Gate Fields. Dispatched as the 1-9 favorite against four older, race-fit campaigners in the allowance sprint, the Jerry Hollendorfer pupil never looked in danger under tender handling by Russell Baze. Shared Belief, who had been sidelined by foot problems since his scintillating, 5 3/4-length score in the December 14 CashCall Futurity, broke alertly from  post 4 and easily secured the early lead. As track announcer Michael Wrona noted, the other Hollendorfer runner, Moonshine Bay, did not flaunt his customary speed and was “conservatively ridden this afternoon.” It was left to Ourwestcoastghost to try to stay close to Shared Belief in the opening stages, but he could apply no serious pressure to the champion. On cruise control, Shared Belief dictated fractions of :23 1/5 and :46 2/5 on the Tapeta. Skipping clear in the stretch, he opened up by 2 1/2 lengths while reaching the five-furlong mark in :58. The Hall of Fame jockey nursed him along under a hand ride so gentle that Wrona, in his inimitable style, proclaimed that “Baze looks like a mother with a newborn baby.”

Shared Belief nevertheless widened his advantage to 4 1/4 lengths at the
wire, finishing the six-furlong dash in 1:09 3/5. Ourwestcoastghost held second
by a head from Moonshine Bay, with Valiant Flame fourth and Zehner’s Zenna
rounding out the order of finish.

“Wow, what a nice horse,” Baze said. “It was a nice bunch of older horses and
he did it well within himself.  He was blowing a little bit after the wire, but
after going 1:09 and change on this track, he should have been. He’s extremely
talented and very athletic. Obviously, he’s got a very bright future. He’s a
blast to ride.”

“He was supposed to run well, because he is a good horse,” Hollendorfer said.
“It (the foot injury) was just an unfortunate turn of events for the first half
of the year. Our plan is to do well at the end of the year.”

Although the Eclipse Award winner won as he was entitled to do in such a cozy
spot, Shared Belief served notice that he intends to be a three-year-old to
reckon with this season. His statement came 12 days before California Chrome
bids for a Triple Crown sweep in the Belmont Stakes.

Baze reportedly alluded to California Chrome in the aftermath of Shared
Belief’s fluent return.

According to a

tweet from apprentice jockey Ricky Gonzalez, Baze said, “Art Sherman is so
lucky he (Shared Belief) didn’t make it to the Derby.”

Sherman is the trainer of Kentucky Derby and Preakness hero California
Chrome, who brings a six-race winning streak into the June 7 Belmont.

Before that flashy chestnut burst onto the scene, Shared Belief was the one
who had taken the West Coast by storm. The gelded son of Candy Ride romped by
seven lengths in his debut at this track and trip on October 19, prompting a
private sale to a partnership including Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing and Hall of
Famer Hollendorfer.

Shared Belief then transferred his dominance to graded stakes company at
Hollywood. Streaking 7 3/4 lengths clear in the November 10 Hollywood Prevue at
seven furlongs, he emphatically handled the stretch-out to 1 1/16 miles in the
CashCall Futurity, and thereby clinched the divisional championship.

Now a perfect four-for-four, Shared Belief has bankrolled $472,200. The
Kentucky-bred originally raced for his breeders, Pam and Marty Wygod. He is out
of the winning Storm Cat mare Common Hope, who is also responsible for Grade 3
victress Little Miss Holly and the stakes-placed Double Major. This is the
family of Grade 1 queen Key Phrase, the dam of stakes-winning sire Yankee
Gentleman and ancestress of Grade 2 scorer Half Ours and Grade 3 heroine
Khancord Kid.

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