Muth, Two Other Baffert Trainees Head Shared Belief

Bob Baffert-trained graded stakes winners Muth , Imagination , and Wynstock  lead seven 3-year-olds entered in the Sept. 1 Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar.

A mile dirt race, the Shared Belief also includes a pair conditioned by John Sadler—Indispensable  and Pony Express —and the John Shirreffs-trained Mc Vay  and Michael McCarthy-trained De' Medici .

Zedan Racing Stables' Muth has been working swiftly leading up to his first start since taking the March 30 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park. He had been scheduled to run in the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course in mid-May but was withdrawn after Baffert said he spiked a fever, an indication of illness.

The Good Magic   colt is 4-2-0 in six starts with earnings of more than $1.5 million. Besides his Arkansas Derby triumph, he also took the San Vicente Stakes (G2), the 2023 American Pharoah Stakes (G1), and a maiden race when unveiled in June 2023. His runner-up finishes came in the 2023 Best Pal Stakes (G3) at Del Mar and the 2023 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Park.

"I was debating running him a mile and a quarter," in the Aug. 31 Pacific Classic (G1), Baffert said. "Some horses you can train into it but he's not one of them. This race will set him up for either the Penn Derby (G1) or the California Crown (G1)."

Imagination, who took the San Felipe Stakes (G2) in March, competed in the Preakness, running seventh. He was later seventh in the June 8 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

The inconsistent Wynstock was last in action June 29 with a nose victory in the Los Alamitos Derby. He captured the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in December.