Updates on Bayern, California Chrome and Shared Belief

Updates on Bayern, California Chrome and Shared Belief: Fans hoping for a “big three” rematch next month in the San Antonio Stakes on February 7, 2015 at Santa Anita might settle for two instead.

Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern suffered a quarter crack after his win, affecting the Offlee Wild colt’s training schedule. He missed a scheduled workout last weekend. In addition, with the recent rain both trainer Bob Baffert and owner Kaleem Shah sound hesitant in recent news reports to train the colt over wet dirt. Owner Kaleem Shah told “Blood-Horse” that he remains hopeful Bayern starts in the San Antonio and the three-year-old Eclipse and Horse of the Year candidate continues to gallop, with a breeze possible in a few days.

Bayern’s main competition for the Eclipse Awards, California Chrome, continues to train well on a regular schedule.

According to “Santa Anita Stable Notes,” the dual crown winner recently “had an ‘outstanding’ workout” at Los Alamitos in “fractional times of 23 1/5, 47 2/5 and 59 1/5” and a final time of 1:11 3/5 for six furlongs. Regular rider Victor Espinoza guided Chrome and the colt wore blinkers. His next workout is scheduled for Jan. 19, two days later than usual because of the Eclipse Awards this weekend.

As for Shared Belief, a longshot to win an Eclipse this year, the unlucky Candy Ride gelding worked four furlongs at Golden Gate Fields on Jan. 6 in 50 3/5. In addition, Equibase shows he worked this morning at five furlongs in 1:00 4/5. The official Jungle Racing Facebook Page suggests a likely start in the San Antonio, as Jim Rome wrote after the Jan. 6 workout “We’re still pointing him to the San Antonio and a possible rematch with Bayern and California Chrome.”

Furthermore, Rome wrote on Jan. 11 “Looks like Bayern may not make the San Antonio next month with a quarter crack. Too bad. Never want to see any horse get hurt. And I think everyone was looking forward to the Big Three getting it on again” which reaffirms the race Shared Belief is being pointed towards.

Shared Belief trains at Golden Gate rather than Santa Anita because of issues with his feet.

The popular gelding made the finalist list for the three-year-old Eclipse. Because Shared Belief failed to crack the top three for Horse of the Year though, and fellow three-year-old horses Bayern and California Chrome made that list, a win by Shared Belief is unlikely.

Even with no Eclipse Award, a clean rematch against Bayern and California Chrome would help erase doubts about how the controversial Breeders’ Cup Classic start affected Shared Belief.