Shared Belief Defeated California Chrome in the "Clash of the Titans" Last Night at Santa Anita Park
By Rob Perez
Whether you closely follow Horse Racing or not, chances are you’ve heard of California Chrome — the winner of the 2014 Kentucky Derby and the 2014 Preakness … who came up short at the 2014 Belmont Stakes, missing out on the illustrious Triple Crown.
If you’re still unfamiliar with the horse’s name, maybe “Steve Coburn” will ring a bell.
Steve is the notorious owner of California Chrome, who went on a live-TV rampage about Tonalist (the horse who beat Chrome at the Belmont) because it didn’t participate in either of the first two Triple Crown races.
Moving on…
…what if I told you: California Chrome shouldn’t have even mattered — that there should have been a different horse in the Triple Crown spotlight last year? “30 for 30 Presents: A Not So Shared Belief.”
You see, Shared Belief was supposed to be THE chosen one. He was undefeated, blowing the DOORS of of his competition, and was the early odds-on favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. Whether it was his leg injury in the spring that prevented him from running in the Triple Crown, or, Bob Baffert’s horse Bayern plowing into him, out of the gate, at the 2014 Breeders’ Cup … Shared Belief never really got a “fair shot” at any major race…
…until yesterday.
It didn’t quite have the hype of the War Admiral vs. Seabiscuit Match Race, but, that was a pretty damn awesome final furlong…
Fans hoping for a Shared Belief-California Chrome rematch may have to be patient. California Chrome is believed to be participating in the $10 million Dubai World Cup in late March, while Shared Belief is rumored to be slated for the Santa Anita Handicap on March 7.
Regardless, the next time these two wildebeests race — it is appointment television.