After dangling a few high-profile comeback options for Muth over the summer, Bob Baffert ultimately settled on Sunday’s $126,000 Shared Belief S. at Del Mar. The 1-5 favorite enjoyed a significant class edge on paper and ran accordingly, setting himself up for a return to the top level this fall.
One race later, the $300,500 Del Mar Derby (G2) for turf sophomores also delivered a formful result, as the market leaders fought out the finish. Formidable Man repelled Stay Hot to continue his progress for trainer Michael McCarthy.
Ironically, Muth and Formidable Man ran against each other in the Jan. 6 San Vicente (G2). Muth did much more running with his convincing win. Formidable Man retreated to last in his lone dirt experiment.
Shared Belief S.
Zedan Racing Stables’ Muth had not raced since his victory in the March 30 Arkansas Derby (G1). Tabbed as the favorite in the Preakness (G1), the son of Good Magic came down with a fever and had to scratch. Initial ideas of aiming for the Haskell (G1) didn’t pan out, and he wasn’t ready to tackle the Travers (G1).
Baffert held out the possible option of returning in Saturday’s Pacific Classic (G1), but jumping straight into a 1 1/4-mile prize against older horses would have been a stiffer task off the layoff. The one-mile Shared Belief versus fellow three-year-olds was an easier spot to build race fitness with a view toward the future.
Muth broke alertly with leading rider Juan Hernandez but let Pony Express rush past to set an opening quarter in :22.57. Another Baffert runner, the 7.80-1 second choice Imagination, advanced into a nearer third. Although that caused Muth to take closer order briefly, he again relaxed as Pony Express reeled off a half in :45.84.
When Imagination began another move, Muth also picked up the pace and took command at the six-furlong mark in 1:10. Imagination did his best to make his star stablemate work for it, but Muth had no difficulty putting him away by midstretch.
The 16-1 Indispensable, who just broke his maiden in his ninth attempt, rallied for second without getting near the winner. Muth had two lengths to spare at the wire in 1:35.64.
Imagination wound up third, six lengths clear of McVay. Pony Express, Baffert’s longshot Wynstock, and De’ Medici concluded the order of finish.
Muth’s resume reads 7-5-2-0, $1,579,100. Last season, the bay scored in the American Pharoah (G1) while placing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Best Pal (G3). Muth opened 2024 with a victory in the San Vicente (G2), followed by the Arkansas Derby.
The Shared Belief extended his winning streak to three. He’ll try to make it four when facing older horses in the Sept. 28 California Crown (formerly the Awesome Again) (G1) back at Santa Anita (G1).
“He’s always been a really smart horse,” Baffert said. “You can place him wherever you want to. He had to move a little earlier because my other horse (Imagination) was breathing down his neck, and they both ran pretty well. That was a really tough race. There were some good three-year-olds. It was like a Grade 2 race. It’s good see him back off the long layoff. Now we can point for the California Crown.”
“I asked a lot of him today,” Hernandez said, “but he responded really well. You know, I think all the credit is to Bob because they were putting a lot of work toward this horse. Today in the race this horse showed up.
“He is a different horse (now) because when he started out in the first couple races, he was very fast. He didn’t want to settle. The last couple races he has relaxed really well, you know; he rode very sharp today. He stayed behind the pace just like I asked of him. He is a very special horse.”
Indeed, Muth showed his special quality as the $2 million sale-topper at OBS March. Bred by Don Alberto Corp. in Kentucky, he is out of the Uncle Mo mare Hoppa.
Del Mar Derby (G2)
The Del Mar Derby offered a showdown between the winners of the first two legs of the series, Oceanside S. hero Formidable Man and La Jolla H. victor Stay Hot. Formidable Man ranked as the slight 6-5 favorite from the 9-5 Stay Hot, and they duly furnished the exacta.
Sporting the colors of William K. Warren and Suzanne Warren, Formidable Man capitalized on his better early position. Jockey Umberto Rispoli placed him in fourth, while Stay Hot brought up the rear in the six-horse field.
Up front, Sketchy was strolling through slow fractions of :25.01, :50.19, and 1:15.08 on the firm course. The tracking Gold Foot launched his bid down the lane, but the superior finishing speed was coming from the closers.
Formidable Man beat Stay Hot to the punch, and that was the difference in his half-length decision. Negotiating 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.87, the City of Light colt improved his record to 9-4-2-0, $457,425.
Atitlan, third in the La Jolla, filled the same spot here. Next came Gold Foot, Sketchy, and Guy Named Joe; Curlin’s Kaos was scratched on veterinary advice.
McCarthy expected Formidable Man to make more use of his tactical speed, but it all worked out.
“I told him (Rispoli) to warm the horse up properly and bounce out of there. What I don’t want to do is make it a sprint for home,” McCarthy said, “and that’s what it turned out like. I certainly knew Antonio (Fresu, on Stay Hot) would be right off of our heels turning up the backside.
“A salty bunch of horses like this, there’s not a whole lot separating the top three. I wouldn’t say I was confident; I just was very happy with the way the horse had trained.”
Rispoli’s overriding objective was for Formidable Man to move before Stay Hot.
“When it’s a small field like that, it’s always tactical,” Rispoli said. “My first intention was to go outside and lead, and I know at some point I need to get a jump on him (Stay Hot), but thanks to Michael (trainer McCarthy) we did it. He has been improving race by race, with credit to the McCarthy team. The key was to get the jump on Stay Hot, and I think it worked OK for us. I am certainly happy with that.”
Formidable Man had raced farther back than typical in his Oceanside breakthrough. When employing a forward style, he could run well, as when second in the American Turf (G2) on Kentucky Derby Day or fade to sixth, as in the June 1 Audubon S. back at Churchill Downs. Whether it’s finding his comfort zone or just a case of maturity, Formidable Man is starting to live up to his name.
Both of his parents excelled as older horses. Sire City of Light amassed more than $5.6 million for the same owner/trainer team. Formidable Man’s dam, the Silent Name mare Fanticola, became a Grade 2 winner at the age of five.
