Improbable leads Del Mar's Shared Belief Stakes field of six

Improbable will make his first start Sunday since competing as the favorite in the first two legs of the Triple Crown series, heading a field of six entered for Del Mar's $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes.

A 3-year-old son of City Zip trained by Bob Baffert for WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International and Starlight Racing, Improbable parlayed runner-up finishes in the Rebel Stakes (G2) and Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park into a spot in the Kentucky Derby.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Improbable was elevated from fifth to fourth by the disqualification of Maximum Security in the Run for the Roses, then finished sixt in the Preakness Stakes.

The chestnut colt got the green light to return after working five furlongs from the gate in a minute flat earlier this week, ranking second-fastest at the distance.

“We thought we’d bring him back," Baffert said. "It’s been awhile."

The Shared Belief could set up Improbable for a try at the Sept. 21 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing.

Improbable will break from the outside gate, with post positions from the rail out: Seven Scents (Jorge Velez); Street Class (Ruben Fuentes); King Jack (Mike Smith); Stubbins (Rafael Bejarano); Improbable (Drayden Van Dyke).

The Shared Belief goes as Race 8 of 9 on the card.

Van Dyke is back on Improbable for the first time since the Rebel. At age 2, Improbable scored under Van Dyke in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) and is seeking his first win since then.

Smith rode Improbable last out in the Preakness. The Hall of Famer's likely mount in the Shared Belief, Omaha Beach, came down with a virus last weekend and was eliminated from consideration. Omaha Beach is now targeting Santa Anita Park's Awesome Again (G1) against older rivals.