By Bloodhorse.com
CYPRESS, Calif. (Dec. 27, 2014) — Both Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Bayern and Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) victor California Chrome posted works Dec. 27 with a possible rematch looming that could include Shared Belief.
All three contenders for 2014 Horse of the Year honors are under consideration for the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 7 at Santa Anita Park. In their most recent confrontation in the controversial BC Classic Nov. 1 at Santa Anita, Bayern prevailed by a nose, with California Chrome third. Shared Belief was fourth as the favorite after a rough start involving Bayern compromised his chances.
Both California Chrome and Shared Belief have come back with grade I victories since, while Bayern is yet to race since. California Chrome returned to win the Hollywood Derby on grass at Del Mar Nov. 29, while Shared Belief captured the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) on opening day of the Santa Anita winter meet Dec. 26.
At Los Alamitos Race Course, California Chrome worked five furlongs in blinkers under regular rider Victor Espinoza in 1:00 3/5 in preparation for the San Antonio.
“He worked great,” said assistant trainer Alan Sherman, trainer Art Sherman’s son. “The San Antonio should be a great race if everything comes together.”
At Santa Anita, Bayern worked four furlongs in :47 4/5 under regular rider Martin Garcia.
“He went nice,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said of Bayern, who worked without blinkers. “I took the blinkers off so he could work slower, so that was good; but I’ll put them back on when he runs.
“I haven’t really decided on his next race. I’m just getting him ready. The Dubai race (World Cup, March 28) is being considered. That’s why I didn’t run him in the Malibu…But the Meydan track in Dubai now is totally different.
“I’ve got see how it plays once they start running there. With the new dirt, you don’t know what’s going to happen. I won’t make the decision (on Bayern’s next race) until I have to.”
Meanwhile, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer was briefly savoring his grade I double the preceding afternoon with odds-on favorite Shared Belief in the Malibu and 12-1 shot Sam’s Sister in the La Brea Stakes. It was the first time in Hollendorfer’s Hall of Fame career with 6,787 victories that he won two grade I races on the same day. They came just over an hour apart.
“He came back real good and jogged out good this morning,” Hollendorfer said of Shared Belief. “It looks like he’ll race another day.
“He’ll go back to Golden Gate probably (Sunday) to train as usual, but we’ll look at the San Antonio, for sure. We’ll look at it pretty hard.”