When Muth walked off the track at Oaklawn Park after an imposing two-length win in the Arkansas Derby on March 30, he was near the top of the list of the nation’s 3-year-old division, seemingly poised for a big spring. Illness kept Muth out of the Preakness Stakes in mid-May and the major races in early summer. On Sunday at Del Mar, Muth finally makes his return, in the $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile. “This is a prep for something bigger,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “We have some ideas, but I’m not sure what it will be yet.” Owned by Amr Zedan, Muth has been at the forefront of his age group since he was purchased for $2 million in March 2023, the most expensive hip of the prominent Ocala Breeders March juvenile sale in Florida. :: DRF's Del Mar Handicapping Packages: Get everything you need to play the races with confidence. On the track last year, Muth won the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita and was second to Fierceness in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile there last November. Muth was a finalist for the champion 2-year-old male award that went to Fierceness. Earlier this year, Muth was an easy winner of the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita in February before his impressive win in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby. Mystik Dan, third in the Arkansas Derby, won the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in his next start. Muth was the morning-line favorite for the Preakness when he was declared from the race. “It took awhile to get him back after that illness,” Baffert said. By Good Magic, Muth resumed workouts in June and has posted quick times on several occasions at Del Mar this summer. He worked seven furlongs in 1:25 on Aug. 18 and five furlongs in a scorching 58.40 seconds on Aug. 24. “He’s working well,” Baffert said. “I think he’s pretty fit.” Baffert has two other runners in the Shared Belief in stakes winners Imagination and Wynstock. Imagination was second by a neck in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in April, but has been a disappointment in his last two starts, finishing seventh in two Grade 1 races – the Preakness Stakes, and Woody Stephens Stakes at seven furlongs at Saratoga on June 8. Wynstock won for the first time this year in his fourth start in the Los Alamitos Derby at 1 1/8 miles on June 29, finishing a nose in front of stablemate Cornell. The Shared Belief Stakes drew a field of seven, including Mc Vay, who was third to Imagination in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita in March but a well-beaten fourth in his last start in the Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita in June. De’ Medici, who is capable of leading, won a starter allowance at a mile in his last start on July 20. Trainer John Sadler starts the recent maiden race winner Indispensable and Pony Express, who set the pace in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 27 before fading through the stretch to finish sixth of seven. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.