Shared Belief Possible for Charles Town Classic
Here’s a frightening thought for horsemen with stars in the handicap division: Shared Belief is getting better.
“He’s filling out and getting bigger and better,” said Dan Ward, assistant to Jerry Hollendorfer, of the 4 ¼-length winner of the Santa Anita Handicap on March 7.
“He’s a horse that’s easy on himself and not hard to handle,” Ward said, adding that the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic on April 18, in addition to the Oaklawn Handicap on April 11, is under consideration for Shared Belief’s next race.
Trainer Craig Lewis said after the 5-year-old mare Warren’s Veneda won the Grade I Santa Margarita Stakes Saturday that the Charles Town Classic was an option for the streaking California-bred daughter of Affirmative.
Richard Mandella also said the rich race in West Virginia was a possibility for Catch a Flight, third in the Santa Anita Handicap.
FINISH LINES: Indefatigable one-win wonder Crimson Giant, showing he’s lost little zip after his last-place finish in the Santa Anita Handicap, worked five furlongs Sunday in a bullet 59 seconds flat for trainer Charlie Stutts . . . Sunland Derby-bound Firing Line worked five furlongs in company with Pillow for Simon Callaghan, the pair going in 59.80 and 1:00.20, respectively . . . California Cup Derby winner Mischief Clem, with designs on the $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes on April 4, worked four furlongs in 49.40 for Bob Hess Jr. . . . Congrats to trainer Jack Carava on registering his 1,000th career victory when Perfect Set, owned by the Roncelli Family Trust, rolled to a 4 ½-length triumph in Saturday’s first race under Santiago Gonzalez. “Hopefully, the second 1,000 won’t take as long,” said Carava, training since the mid 80’s. “A lot of good help has worked for me. I couldn’t have done it without them.” . . . Santiago, represented by Craig Stephen, is paying off with Jim Cassidy. In 31 rides for the trainer, Gonzalez had five wins on horses that returned $29.20, $18, $26.20, $15 and $28.20. A $2 win bet on all 31 would have cost $62, but the payoffs totaled $116.60 for a profit of $54.60 . . . Seven-pound apprentice Brandon Boulanger moves his tack to Florida Thursday after winning six races from 113 mounts at Santa Anita . . . Santa Anita welcomed iconic rocker and accomplished actor Stevie Van Zandt Saturday, as he presented the trophy for the Grade I Santa Margarita . . . Congrats to jockey Mike Smith who surpassed fellow Hall of Famer Chris McCarron yesterday with a third-place finish in the Santa Margarita on Thegirlinthatsong to become racing’s fourth all-time money-earning jockey with purse earnings of $264,025,867. Only Hall of Famers John Velazquez, Pat Day and Jerry Bailey rank higher than Smith.
Source: Santa Anita Stable Notes