Rome Takes the High Road

During his sports talk show broadcast across the CBS Radio Network Monday, host Jim Rome, co-owner of Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}), spoke for the first time publicly about the trouble which befell the previously undefeated gelding in Saturday’s GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. Rome articulated his feelings in a calm fashion, though he told his listeners, “I’m not as calm as you think I am. There was a lot at stake and we lost a lot.” He added, “I’m calm but that’s not to say I’m not frustrated–really frustrated.” 

The host reminded his listeners that this was no ordinary big race. 

“Not only was that a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity–I may never be there again,” he explained. “There are people in that game that have spent years, decades, crazy amounts of money, people much smarter than me, people that have a much bigger knack for the game than I’ll ever have and never get a sniff of a race like that. It’s a dream to be in that race, just to be in that race is a dream. Not only do we get there, we’re the favorite, and we get wiped out right when they leave the gate. Believe me, I’m not as calm as you think. But I understand that racing is tough, it’s a tough game.”

He continued, “[Trainer Bob] Baffert said it best before the race when he said the horse that brings his ‘A’ game and gets the trip is going to win. You can argue the reason [Bayern] got that trip is because he smashed into 3 or 4 horses. You can argue that, but I’m not going to. We didn’t get the trip we were hoping for. You have to be lucky and we weren’t–that’s racing.”

Rome said that the stewards reached out to him, ostensibly to explain to him the decision that was made. 

“I didn’t return that call. I had already turned the page when they called,” he stated. 

Despite the events of the weekend, Rome has lost no faith in Shared Belief. 

“Shared Belief is a great horse that didn’t have a great day,” he offered. “We’re going to give him some time and he’ll be back when he’s ready. My thing is that if we get a clean break, he would have fired a big shot. He is the same horse, he’s still great, the Awesome Again did not take all that much out of him. He bounced back, he looked great, he was dappled, he would have fired a big one. But that’s racing, you don’t always get everyone’s best shot, and that’s what makes racing such a tough game.”

He added, “I’ve had some really, really good luck and some really, really good days. This day I had some really bad luck and a really bad day. But that’s that sport. It’s a punch in the face and it’s a kick in the ass, and you take the highs and you take the lows. That was a kick in the junk, but we’re all big boys, you man up and accept it.” 

Rome is looking forward to the next meeting. 

“Let’s do it again, any time, any where, we’ll be there,” he stated. –Alan Carasso