Improbable Returns in Del Mar’s $100,000 Shared Belief
Improbable will make his first start since competing in the first two legs of the Triple Crown series as part of a field of six entered Thursday for the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Sunday, August 25.
A 3-year-old son of City Zip trained by Bob Baffert for WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International and Starlight Racing, Improbable parlayed runner-up finishes in the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park into a spot in the Kentucky Derby.
| Entry | Horse | ML Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Street Class | 20-1 | Ruben Fuentes 118 Lbs |
Michael McCarthy |
| 2 | Seven Scents | 20-1 | Jorge Velez 118 Lbs |
Craig Lewis |
| 3 | King Jack | 8-5 | Mike Smith 120 Lbs |
Jerry Hollendorfer |
| 4 | Stubbins | 10-1 | Rafael Bejarano 124 Lbs |
Doug O’Neill |
| 5 | Lieutenant Dan | 4-1 | Abel Cedillo 120 Lbs |
Steven Miyadi |
| 6 | Improbable | 1-1 | Drayden Van Dyke 124 Lbs |
Bob Baffert |
Ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., Improbable was elevated from fifth to fourth by the disqualification of Maximum Security in the Run for the Roses, then finished sixth as the favorite in the Preakness on May 18.
“We thought we’d bring him back, it’s been awhile,” Baffert said.
The Shared Belief could set up Improbable for a try at the Sept. 21 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing.
Improbable will break from the outside gate, with post positions from the rail out: Seven Scents (Jorge Velez); Street Class (Ruben Fuentes); King Jack (Mike Smith); Stubbins (Rafael Bejarano); Improbable (Drayden Van Dyke).
Omaha Beach, the scratched Kentucky Derby favorite working toward a comeback in Del Mar’s Aug. 25 Shared Belief Stakes, will not make that target race, trainer Richard Mandella said Saturday.
VSiN’s Ron Flatter broke the news after speaking with Mandella, who said the Grade 1-winning son of War Front contracted a virus going around his barn.
“He’ll have to have a few days off, and it depends how much it gets to him,” Mandella told Horse Racing Nation. “So far, it hasn’t hit hard. If you can see it coming enough not to stress him, we’re hopeful we’ve done that. We’ll just rebuild a new plan.”
The Shared Belief goes as Race 8 of 9 on the card.
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