Multiple G1 winner Shared Belief failed to finish in Saturday’s $1.5 million Charles Town Classic after his jockey Mike Smith was alarmed by his action midrace.

Smith said Shared Belief didn't seem to be moving properly so he pulled him up as a precautionary measure.

The 4-year-old gelding, a hot favourite after being beaten only once in 11 previous starts, was walked onto a horse van and taken to a vet clinic for observation.

Charles Town’s official vet Dr Elizabeth Daniel said she noticed soft tissue swelling in Shared Belief's right stifle.

"We gather it's something that happened leaving the starting gate," Daniel said. "He didn't appear to be traveling well from the time he left the gate."

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has since reported that Shared Belief will undergo a nuclear scan.

"He's going for a scan to see if they can find anything," Ward said on Sunday.

"We don't think it's serious."

The Classic was won by Moreno at his second attempt for trainer Eric Guillot after finishing third in 2014.

Ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, Moreno broke for the lead in the three-turn race but gave it up to the speedy Warrioroftheroses, who fired out from the outside gate.

Warrioroftheroses led from Moreno before Velasquez took control after the six-furlong mark and kept running to score in track record time of 1:48.81 for 1/1/8th mile to score by 2 1/2 lengths from Page McKenney.

Moreno is now set to take a short break and return in the G1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs in June.

Guillot said a trip to Saratoga, where Moreno won the G1 Whitney Handicap last summer, is also in order again followed by the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.

Moreno now has only four wins in 28 starts. He had finished second to Shared Belief two starts back in the G1 Santa Anita Handicap before a close third in the G2 New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds.

Moreno earned $852,000 to bring his career earnings to $2,926,940. The Charles Town Classic marked his first victory since last year's Whitney.

• AT Keeneland, last year’s Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf winner Hootenanny kicked off his 2015 campaign with a 6 1/4-length score in a turf allowance.

Hootenanny is under consideration for another trip to Royal Ascot where he won the Windsor Castle Stakes last June for trainer Wesley Ward before going on to France to finish second in the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville.

His current record stands at 4-1-1 from six starts with earnings of $793,105. He races for the Coolmore syndicate of Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.