Shared Belief Eased as Moreno Wins CT Classic

Multiple grade I winner Shared Belief failed to finish April 18 in the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic (gr. II), eased by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith as Southern Equine Stables' Moreno took the 1 1/8-mile test at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races .

Smith said after the race Shared Belief didn't seem to be moving properly, so he pulled him up as a precautionary measure. The 4-year-old gelding, 10-for-11 going in to the race at Charles Town, walked onto a horse van and was taken back for observation.

Dr. Elizabeth Daniel, the state veterinarian at Charles Town, said she noticed "a little soft tissue swelling in Shared Belief's right stifle.

"We gather it's something that happened leaving the starting gate," Daniel said. "He didn't appear to be traveling well from the time he left the gate."

The Classic, for 4-year-olds and up, was vindication for trainer Eric Guillot, who insisted Moreno, third in last year's Charles Town Classic, would turn in a big effort. Ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, Moreno broke for the lead from post 6 in the three-turn race, but quickly gave it up to the speedy Warrioroftheroses, who fired out from the outside post 9.

Warrioroftheroses, with Travis Dunkelberger riding, went an opening quarter-mile in :23.19 and the half mile in :47.18 on a track rated fast, with Moreno right behind. Velasquez gave Moreno the cue as the field headed down the backstretch, and 5-year-old Ghostzapper   gelding took control and passed the six-furlong mark in 1:12.03.

As the early leader dropped back, last year's Charles Town Classic winner, Imperative, began to rally as did Page McKenney, but neither appeared to be making up much ground on Moreno. The leader ran a mile in 1:36.25 and finished up in track-record time of 1:48.81. Moreno had two lengths on Imperative, who finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Page McKenney.

With more than $600,000—most of it bet on Shared Belief—in the show pool, the prices were skewed. Moreno paid $16 to win, $12 to place and $23.30 to show, while Imperative (31-1) returned $44.60 and $71.20. Page McKenney (33-1) was worth $45.60 to show. The $2 exacta returned $331.80 and the $2 trifecta paid $3,672.

"He's a speed horse," Guillot said. "This is track has three turns, a short stretch, and was biased to speed today. And he didn't know where the wire was. I told (Velasquez) you have to stay busy on him, and he did exactly what I said. He listened to instructions and knew the logistics of the race perfectly."

Plans call for Moreno, who is out of the A.P. Indy mare Danceinthesunlight, to take a short break and return in the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill Downs in June. Guillot said a trip to Saratoga Race Course, where Moreno won the Whitney Handicap (gr. I) last summer, is in order again, followed by the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.

"I'd love to get him back to the Classic (gr. I) a third time," Guillot said. "I want him to right going into the Classic and for him to have a chance in the Classic."

Moreno now has only four wins in 28 starts, despite keeping top company and performing extremely well in major races in the United States. He finished second to Shared Belief two starts back in the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) before a close third-place effort in the New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

"I've been telling everyone this horse would run big," Guillot said. "I thought he would set a track record New Orleans, but that's a long stretch and he started waiting on horses. He's a mental case, but physically, you can't get to the bottom of him."

General a Rod, the second choice at 5-1, finished a non-threatening fifth after making a good bid at the six-furlong marker.

Moreno earned $852,000 to bring his career earnings to $2,926,940. The Charles Town Classic marked his first victory since last year's Whitney.

Aided by a few major show pools because of heavy favorites, Charles Town set an all-time pari-mutuel handle record of $4,827,782, better than the $4,398,985 bet on the 2013 Classic program. It was the first time the Classic was raced on an afternoon program in its six editions.

Wagering on the Classic itself totaled $2,423,782, easily a single-race record for Charles Town.