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Jim Rome is usually the one breaking down the performance of owners in the world of sports. On Saturday night, though, the long-time sports talk show host will be an owner first and an analyst second.
Rome, who hosts a syndicated radio known as The Jungle, is the primary owner of Shared Belief, a 3-year-old thoroughbred who enters the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Challenge is the 9/5 favorite, topping a field that includes Kentucky Derby and Preakness champion California Chrome and Belmont Stakes champion Tonalist.
Here’s what you need to know about Shared Belief and his outspoken owner:
1. Shared Belief Is Undefeated Headed Into the Classic
Shared Belief enters the race having won all seven of his starts. His most recent victory came September 27 at the Awesome Again Stakes, when he overcame some gamesmanship by an opposing jockey for what Rome says was a signature win.
Shared Belief won the race despite Victor Espinoza, best known as the jockey for California Chrome but at the time riding atop Sky Kingdom, running Shared Belief to the outside and costing him valuable ground. Espinoza was suspended for seven days after the incident, but Rome came away impressed with his horse’s moxie and glad he had run into some adversity and overcome it.
Watch the video of the race above.
2. Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorf Is Shared Belief’s Trainer
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Shared Belief is trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorf, who’s also a minority owner of the horse.
According to a profile by the New York Times’ Tom Pedulla, Hollendorf inquired about getting together a group to buy Shared Belief after watching the gelding dominate a small race in Berkley, California last fall as a 2-year-old.
From The Times:
Hollendorfer spotted a jewel on Oct. 19, 2013, when Shared Belief romped to a seven-length victory in his career debut at Golden Gate Fields, a small track in Berkeley, Calif. Almost as soon as the tour de force was over, Hollendorfer called Alex Solis II, a noted bloodstock agent, to find out whether the gelding was available for purchase.
After learning there were other interested parties, Solis quickly assembled an ownership group headed by Jim Rome, the sports talk show host. They bought Shared Belief for $300,000, a hefty sum given that it was based on one race at a minor track, and that the horse had no breeding possibilities. But Hollendorfer and Solis, also part owners, were confident of what they had seen.
3. Jim Rome Says as an Owner, He Stays the Hell Away From Micromanaging
Rome sat down earlier this week to talk to TVG’s Simon Bray about life as an owner and about Shared Belief’s career so far. (Watch the interview in the video above.) Asked to describe his management style, Rome said he’s the opposite of micromanaging Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who’s been known to show up on the Cowboys’ sideline and interfere with coaching decisions.
I stay the hell out of the way. It’s nice to be asked, but if they don’t ask me why I’m not being asked. I know my role. I’ve learned this early on. The horse people make the horse decisions. We might be the majority owners, but talk about a Hall of Famer. Jerry Holldendorf is the Hall of Famer. He’s the general. He is in charge. Alex Solis is as sharp a guy as I know. He’s our race manager, bloodstock agent, so to answer your question, I stay the hell out of the way. I like being informed, but I stay the hell out of the way. … I’m not down on the sideline. By the way, how does (Jones) get down to the sideline so fast?
Rome said if he had to compare Shared Belief to a human athlete, he’d pick Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook.
He’s freaky, he’s athletic, he is explosive, he is quick, he is smart. He just doesn’t have that wacky wardrobe that Westbrook rocks… Like Westbrook, he’s not that big, but he’s intimidating because of his skill and his explosiveness.
4. A Right Hoof Injury Forced Shared Belief to Miss the Triple Crown Races
Shared Belief had to sit out the Kentucky Derby and the rest of the Triple Crown schedule because of a hoof injury. (Getty)
Shared Belief won the Eclipse Award last year as racing’s best 2-year-old and appeared poised to complete in the Kentucky Derby and the other two Triple Crown races. But after dominating the CashCall Futurity December 14 in his last race as a 2-year-old, he came down with a severe hoof injury that forced him to miss the entire Triple Crown schedule.
Rome talked about his battle with “Derby Fever” in an interview with the Associated Press:
Based at Golden Gate Fields in the Bay Area, the gelding appeared headed on the Triple Crown trail. Rome tried to keep himself from catching what is commonly known as “Derby Fever.” No such luck. He jokes that his temperature soared to 106 degrees.
Then a hoof problem kept Shared Belief out of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
But when he won the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita in September to improve to 7-0, Shared Belief was back in contention for champion 3-year-old male honors and a shot at Horse of the Year.
He was made the early 9-5 favorite Monday.
“It’s good that I got my face punched in those first few years,” Rome said.
5. Shared Belief Is Well Positioned to Win Horse of the Year
Shared Belief’s unbeaten status has him in the running for Horse of the Year, which he stands a good chance to win if he wins the Classic.
Though the most prominent thoroughbreds in a given year are 3-year-olds who have competed in the Triple Crown races, the Horse of the Year has no age restriction. If Shared Belief wins the award, he’ll be the first 3-year-old to win it since Rachel Alexandra in 2009 and the first 3-year-old male to win it since Curlin in 2007.
Wise Dan has won the award in each of the past two years, first as a 5-year-old and then as a 6-year-old.