Muth is back in the racing groove after being sidelined for five months, winning the 1-mile, $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes by two lengths at Del Mar on Sunday.
In his first race since a victory in the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park on March 30 to establish himself as the top 3-year-old, Bob Baffert-trained Muth was on his game again. The $2 million purchase stalked the pace set by Pony Express, then took the lead with a quarter-mile to go under Juan Hernandez. Stablemate Imagination wound up second.
“It’s good to see Muth back off the long layoff,’’ Baffert said. “Now we can point to the California Crown.” As a 2-year-old, Muth won twice – a career debut win and a victory in the American Pharoah (G1) — and ran second twice – in the Best Pal Stakes (G3) and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). He’s 3-for-3 in 2024 – the San Vicente Stakes (G2), the Arkansas Derby and now the Shared Belief.
With the win, Muth improved to 7-5-2-0 and increased his earnings to $1,579,100 for owner Amr Zedan. The new $1 million California Crown (G1), formerly the Awesome Again, is Sept. 28 at Santa Anita, and is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’’ race to the BC Classic (G1) on Nov. 2 at Del Mar. The race is 1 1/8 miles for 3-year-olds and up.
“He’s always been a really smart horse,’’ Baffert said of Muth, a son of Good Magic. “You can place him wherever you want to. He had to move a little early because my other horse (Imagination) was breathing down his neck. They both ran pretty well. I was looking for a 1-2-3.”