Muth. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Del Mar Press
DEL MAR, Calif.—Zedan Racing Stables’ comebacking Muth made his return to the races after five months on the sidelines in fine fashion, running a mile in the Shared Belief Stakes in 1:35.64 and proving clearly best over six 3-year-old rivals in the 50th running of the race that used to be known as the El Cajon Stakes.
The winner, a Good Magic colt who was a $2-million 2-year-old purchase, came home two lengths on top under Del Mar’s leading rider Juan Hernandez. He is trained by Del Mar’s leading trainer Bob Baffert. This was the 17th time at the current session that Baffert and Hernandez have teamed up to win a race.
“I asked a lot of him today, but he responded really well. You know, I think all the credit is to Bob (Baffert) because they were putting a lot of work towards this horse. Today in the race this horse showed up,” Hernandez remarked.
“He is a different horse because when he started out in the first couple races, he was very fast, he didn’t want to settle. The last couple races he has relaxed really well, you know, he rode very sharp today. He stayed behind the pace just like I asked of him. He is a very special horse.”
The stakes win was the sixth of the meet for jockey Hernandez and his second (Mr. Fisk in a dead-heat last year) in the Shared Belief. He now has 50 stakes wins at Del Mar.
Muth, the 1/5 favorite in the $126,000 feature, paid $2.40 to win. He also picked up a winner’s share of $75,000 to push his bankroll to $1,579,100. It was his fifth victory – including a pair of Grade Is — in his seventh start. He had run second in the two races he didn’t win.
Finishing second was Talla Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds or Barker’s Indispensable, who had a length and a quarter on SF Racing, Starlight Racing, et al’s Imagination.
FRACTIONS: :22.57 :45.84 1:10.00 1:22.66 1:35.64
“He’s always been a really smart horse. You can place him wherever you want to. He had to move a little earlier because my other horse was breathing down his neck and they both ran pretty well,” Baffert said
“That was a really tough race. There were some good 3-year-olds. It was like a Grade two race. It’s good see him back off the long layoff. Now we can point for the California Crown.”
The stakes win was the fifth of the meeting for trainer Baffert and his 12th in the Shared Belief. He now has a well-in-front 173 stakes wins at the shore oval.
The winning owner is Amr Zedan, a Saudi Arabian businessman based in Lexington, KY.
Racing will continue at Del Mar on the holiday Monday with first post at 1:30 p.m. for an 11-race program.
