Shared Belief puts in final major work for San Antonio

ARCADIA, Calif. – Fast workouts are rare at six furlongs on the Tapeta Footings synthetic surface at Golden Gate Fields – unless the horse in question is Shared Belief.

On Wednesday, Shared Belief, the champion 2-year-old male of 2013, worked six furlongs in 1:11.80, which trainer Jerry Hollendorfer described as the 4-year-old gelding’s last major workout before the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 7.

The time was the fastest recorded six-furlong workout at Golden Gate Fields since Shared Belief worked six furlongs in 1:13.20 on Jan. 21. There are seldom more than six or eight workouts at six furlongs on a daily basis.

“It’s a pretty good work for Tapeta,” Hollendorfer said. “We needed a good, solid work. He’s remained remarkably consistent.”

Hollendorfer said jockey Russell Baze was aboard for the workout, conducted in company with stablemates. Baze has worked Shared Belief repeatedly at Golden Gate Fields. Hollendorfer has trained Shared Belief at Golden Gate Fields for most of the last year because he said the surface is kinder on the gelding’s feet.

Shared Belief won the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 and will be tested in the San Antonio Stakes, run at 1 1/8 miles. The field will include California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year. California Chrome and Shared Belief were third and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, the only loss of Shared Belief’s career. Shared Belief was bumped severely by race winner Bayern shortly after the start.

Hollendorfer said Shared Belief will have an additional workout at Golden Gate Fields next Tuesday before being vanned to Southern California.

Owned by a partnership that includes television sports commentator Jim Rome, Shared Belief has won 8 of 9 starts and earned $2,032,200.