Shared Belief Leaves CA for $1.5 Million Charles Town Classic

Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Shared Belief has won ten of eleven career starts for earnings of over $2.9 – credentials that speak for themselves and justify his 2/5 morning line favoritism, but the Charles Town Classic could present unique challenges for the imposing bay gelding. The bull ring configuration at Charles Town makes the 1 1/8 mile race a three-turn event – something Shared Belief and most of the rest of the field have never experienced. Charles Town also has a much shorter stretch any of the California race tracks over which Shared Belief has run. Still, Shared Belief holds a sharp edge in class and speed figures, and will retain the services of Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.

Imperative long odds despite 2014 win

Imperative (15/1) won the 2014 Charles Town Classic, upsetting the heavily-favored Game on Dude, but has not won since and has fared no better than fifth in any of his last five starts. The George Papaprodromou trainee most recently finished eighth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap - a race Shared Belief dominated.

Moreno will try to shake loose 

Moreno (7/2) was no match for Shared Belief either in the Santa Anita Handicap, but did finish second. The Eric Guillot trained gelding has just 3 wins in 25 career starts, but did win the 2014 Whitney – a Grade 1 event. Moreno’s speed could again play well over the Charles Town strip where he finished third in last year’s Classic.