Shared Belief Bolsters Eclipse Résumé in Malibu

Shared Belief (black and blue jockey silks) outfinished Conquest Two Step to win the Malibu Stakes on Friday at Santa Anita Park. (BENOIT photo)
It was smooth sailing at the start and determination at the finish for Shared Belief in the $300,000 Malibu Stakes, a Grade 1 race for 3-year-olds that highlights opening day of the winter-spring meet at Santa Anita Park.
Shared Belief, who is owned by a partnership that includes sports personality Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing, got a much better trip in the Malibu than he did in his previous race, when he was sideswiped leaving the starting gate in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and finished a troubled fourth.
The Candy Ride gelding broke cleanly and tracked pacesetter Chitu from third through a half-mile in :45.24 in the seven-eighths of a mile race. He overhauled Chitu and Indianapolis in the stretch and outfinished runner-up Conquest Two Step to prevail by a neck.
Shared Belief improved to eight wins from nine lifetime starts. The 2013 champion 2-year-old male suffered his first defeat when fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic but got back to the winner’s circle in the Malibu by completing the 7 furlongs in 1:20.69 under Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith.
Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer trains Shared Belief for a partnership that also includes himself, George Todaro, Alex Solis III and Jason Litt.
“We put all that behind us and just concentrated on winning this race,” Hollendorfer said of the Breeders’ Cup Classic. “Now we’ll start concentrating on what we want to do next and getting him ready for his next endeavor.
“We’re looking at a couple of different things and I’ll talk it over with Alex [Solis III] and with Jim [Rome] and my other partners and we’ll try and make a decent decision.”
JIM ROME SHOWS HIS APPRECIATION FOR SHARED BELIEF

BENOIT photo
The Malibu gives Shared Belief four graded stakes wins this season, including two other Grade 1 victories in the Awesome Again Stakes and Pacific Classic against older males. While it would tough to overtake both Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern in the voting for the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male, Shared Belief figures to join them among the three finalists for the award.
“I’ve got a nine-year-old [son] who says good times never get old. I’ve done this long enough to fully appreciate what it means to have a horse who’s a Grade 1 stakes winner and we don’t take it for granted,” Rome said.
“It was an awesome, awesome day, and sometimes people are disappointed because he didn’t win by open lengths and think, ‘What’s the matter? Maybe he’s not all that (good).’ The horse just won a Grade 1 cutting way back [in distance from 1 ¼ miles] and did it with a lot of grit and a lot of moxey, and I could not be more proud of Shared Belief. I love this horse.”
Conquest Two Step finished a half-length in front of Grade 3 winner Chitu, who edged stablemate Indianapolis by 1 ½ lengths for third.
La Brea Stakes: Sam’s Sister made her stakes debut a memorable one as the Brother Derek filly closed powerfully to collar heavily favored Grade 2 winner Taris in the final 50 yards of the $300,000 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Sam’s Sister improved to four wins in five starts for trainer Hollendorfer, who owns Sam’s Sister in partnership with Mark DeDomenico and George Todaro.
“We really wanted to run in this race. It’s nice to knock off a Grade 1 on opening day,” Hollendorfer said two races before he added a win in the Malibu. “We were afraid of the one horse [Taris], but we didn’t want to duck her. She was well meant, so I think we beat a really nice filly.”
SAM'S SISTER

BENOIT photo
Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes: Alert Bay outfinished determined runner-up Home Run Kitten to extend his winning streak to four with a hard-fought victory in the $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes for 3-year-olds.
Blaine Wright trains the City Zip gelding for owner Peter Redekop. Alert Bay earned his third career graded stakes victory.
For Equibase charts from Friday at Santa Anita, click here.