Shared Belief Confirmed Off KY Derby Trail

Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer confirmed March 13 that 2-year-old champion male Shared Belief will not contest the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland next month and is officially off the road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

The undefeated 3-year-old son of Candy Ride   has not worked since Jan. 3 due to a foot ailment and is currrently stabled at Golden Gate Fields in Northern California.

"Right now I don't have a good update for you," Hollendorfer said. "We're working with the horse up here and as soon as he's ready to run, we'll run him."

Owned by Jim Rome's Jungle Racing, Jason Litt, Alex Solis II, Hollendorfer, and George Todaro, Shared Belief won the Hollywood Prevue Stakes (gr. III) and the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) in addition to his maiden score at Golden Gate last year. He was purchased privately following his maiden win.

Although he was nominated to the April 12 Blue Grass, Shared Belief was unlikely to make that race due to his setback earlier in the season.

"I never had the horse on the Derby trail anyway; the media had him on the Derby trail," Hollendorfer said. "When me and my owners discussed this, way back when we got the horse, we never were concerned about getting to the Derby anyway."

Shared Belief was to have started in the Feb. 8 Robert B. Lewis (gr. II) but missed a planned Jan. 24 workout due to an abscess in his right front foot (full story here).

"We'll get him ready to run later on, if he stays good," Hollendorfer said.

Hollendorfer still has El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) winner Tamarando as a Derby prospect. Tamarando is expected to run in the Spiral Stakes (gr. III) March 22 at Turfway Park.