Shared Belief, Bayern Nominated to CT Classic

Shared Belief, who most recently won the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), and Bayern, winner of the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) in his most recent start last November, are among 56 nominees for the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic (gr. II) April 18.

Also nominated is 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome, who will race March 28 in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I).

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races officials said March 23 Shared Belief "remains a possibility" for the 1 1/8-mile Charles Town Classic. The 4-year-old Candy Ride   gelding, trained and partially owned by Jerry Hollendorfer, has won 10 of 11 starts and was the champion 2-year-old male of 2013.

Bayern, trained by Bob Baffert, has been training at Santa Anita Park for his 2015 debut, and most recently the Offlee Wild   colt worked five furlongs in :59 4/5 March 20. Baffert won the Charles Classic two years ago with Game On Dude, who is now retired.

Other grade I winners nominated to the Classic are Lea, who also is entered in the Dubai World Cup; Moreno, who is scheduled to race in the New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) March 28 and return three weeks later for the Charles Town race; and the filly Warren's Veneda, who has won three consecutive stakes for females in California.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has the most horses nominated at seven, including Race Day, who won the Razorback Handicap (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park March 14. Twenty-four of the 56 nominees have won at least one graded stakes, officials said.

Nominations for a pair of undercard stakes—the $150,000 Sugar Maple presented by CANTER Mid-Atlantic for fillies and mares and the $100,000 Robert Hilton Memorial for 3-year-olds—close April 4. Both are run at seven furlongs.

The special afternoon program includes four West Virginia-bred stakes and two handicaps.