Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Odds-on favorite Shared Belief was made to
work, but the Eclipse Award winner came through to win Friday’s $300,000
Malibu Stakes, highlighting Santa Anita’s opening day.
Co-owned and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Shared Belief went off as the 1-2
favorite among the nine-horse field of 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.
With Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in the saddle, Shared Belief stalked the
pace being set by a pair of Bob Baffert horses, 2-1 second pick Chitu and 9-1
Indianapolis. The favorite was forced four wide around the final turn. At the
top of the stretch Shared Belief was on even terms with the two pacesetters
along with 70-1 longshot Conquest Two Step.
Shared Belief, also owned by Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing and KMN Racing, drove
through the stretch to post a neck victory over Conquest Two Step followed by
Chitu and Indianapolis.
Completing the order of finish were Frensham, Hollendorfer-trained Tamarando,
Rprettyboyfloyd, Diamond Bachelor and Midnight Hawk, also trained by Baffert.
Baffert’s fourth 3-year-old in the entries Pimpernel was an early scratch.
The time for the Malibu was 1:20.69 on a fast track.
Shared Belief, the 2013 champion 2-year-old, recorded his eighth win from nine
career starts and picked up $180,000. The 3-year-old gelding has banked
$2,032,200.
Shared Belief was making his first start since finishing fourth Nov. 1 in the
$5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita. The gelding was the 5-2
favorite for the 1 1/4-mile race, finishing behind Bayern, Toast of New York
and California Chrome.
He posted wins this year in the Los Alamitos Derby, Pacific Classic and
Awesome Again Stakes after missing the Triple Crown races with a hoof injury.
The champion began his season with an allowance victory at Golden Gate Fields
on May 26.
Shared Belief returned $3.00, $2.40 and $2.10. Conquest Two Step paid $21.80
and $6.80, and Chitu paid $2.80 to show.
Hollendorfer also saddled Sam’s Sister to win the day’s $300,000 La Brea
Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
