Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) features duo with Denali ties

Denali Stud’s connections in this year’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) run deep and strong with the duo of leading 3-year-olds Shared Belief and V. E. Day as part of a full field of 14 entered for North America’s richest race on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park.

Denali sales grad V. E. Day drew post five for the 1 1/4-mile contest. Winner of the Travers S. (G1) in August, the 3-year-old son of English Channel also annexed the Curlin S. during the Saratoga meet and is 4-1-0 in seven starts. Denali consigned V. E. Day to the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he brought a winning bid of $105,000. 

V. E. Day is owned by Magalen O. Bryant and was bred by Bluegrass Hall, LLC.

Shared Belief, who drew next to V. E. Day in post six, was last year’s champion 2-year-old and is trying to complete an undefeated 2014 in the Classic. He has already defeated older horses twice this year, in the Pacific Classic (G1) and Awesome Again S. (G1). Bred by Pam and Martin Wygod, Shared Belief is owned by a large syndicate that includes Jungle Racing and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Shared Belief is out of the Storm Cat mare Common Belief, whose half-sister Encouragement resides at Denali. Encouragement’s 2014 yearling colt was recently consigned by Denali to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling sale, where he brought a winning bid of $152,000 from Castleton Lyons.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic post time is 8:35 p.m EDT and will be shown live on NBC.