Desert Gate regains winning form in Shared Belief Stakes
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DEL MAR, Calif. - Desert Gate reverted to his performances from March and May with an appealing win in Sunday’s $126,000 Shared Belief Stakes for 3-year-olds at Del Mar.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Desert Gate closed from fourth in a field of seven to take the lead with an inside trip on the turn. He led narrowly with a quarter-mile remaining and was quickly clear of rivals, leading by three lengths with a furlong to go and by 5 1/2 lengths at the finish.
The win was the second stakes victory of the day for Hernandez and Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Earlier, they teamed to win the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity with the undefeated Hughes, a three-time winner.
Baffert, who through Sunday has won a record 197 stakes at Del Mar, has won an astonishing 20 runnings of the Del Mar Futurity. He has won 13 runnings of the Shared Belief, which was known as the El Cajon Stakes until 2016.
Desert Gate paid $3.60 as the favorite in the Shared Belief, which was run at a mile.
Hernandez had Desert Gate in fourth after a quarter-mile, and then third, chasing pacesetter Mo Koko and Decisive Win. Desert Gate progressed on the turn to challenge 33-1 Mo Koko at the same time 4-1 Decisive Win faded from contention.
“The other two horses outbroke me, but I wasn’t worried,” Hernandez said of Mo Koko and Decisive Win. “I was happy with my spot.”
Desert Gate was timed in 1:36.25.
Mo Koko, a maiden race winner in April but winless in his last five starts, held second as the longest shot in the field. He was ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza.
“He ran an amazing race,” Espinoza said. “Today was a big step for him. I think he’ll improve from this race. You couldn’t ask for more.”
Start the Ride (16-1) closed from fifth to finish third, followed by Essos, Decisive Win, Ocean Bear and One More Freud.
Desert Gate, a colt by Omaha Beach, ended a two-race losing streak in the Shared Belief Stakes, his fifth win in his 10th start.
After easy wins in the $192,000 Hot Springs Stakes at a mile in March, and the Grade 3 Texas Derby at 1 1/16 miles in May, Desert Gate was fourth at 9-10 in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at 1 1/8 miles at Thistledown on June 20, and fourth as the 6-5 favorite in the $250,000 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows on July 11.
“I had him in some bad spots after I won with him at Lone Star,“ Baffert said. “Thistledown was a deep track.”
Baffert said that Desert Gate is best suited to one-mile races and that jockey Flavien Prat said the Ohio Derby distance was not ideal.
“Flavien said don’t run him too far,” Baffert said.
Desert Gate has earned $661,825 for owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. Desert Gate was purchased at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-old season for $260,000 in March 2025.
“He was doing good coming into this race,” Baffert said. “He’s a fun horse.”
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