Tuesday, December 1, 2015

End of the Year Favorite Moments: #15- Shared Belief defeats California Chrome to win the San Antonio

Note: From now until the end of the year, I will be counting down my favorite moments from 2015. 

With Horse of the Year honors on the line, Shared Belief and California Chrome finally met up in the Breeders' Cup Classic last year. Sadly though the 2yo Champion by Candy Ride (ARG) was taken out by Bayern to finish out of the top three. Meanwhile the Derby and Preakness winner by Lucky Pulpit was third. In the end though California Chrome would pick up 3yo Male and Horse of the Year honors (the latter award controversially), while Shared Belief would be shut out dispite rebounding in the Malibu.

In their first starts as 4yo's, the two would once again meet up. This time in the San Antonio, which is the traditional prep for the Santa Anita Handicap for non 4yo's, but this year the Strub series was eliminated making this race all more important. Shared Belief by most (including myself) was considered to be the better horse and he showed that he was.


I loved that he just passed Chrome with such ease in the stretch and added the Santa Anita Handicap in his next start. Sadly a trip to Charles Town derailed his season, but he is expected to return next year as a five year old. California Chrome finished second in the Dubai World Cup before going to England where he was supposed to make a start at Royal Ascot which due to injury he did not. He is also expected to return next year as a five year old.

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