If I were a dismissal of eight months between races, it would have been fair to ask you how Imagination Would perform in his return to the competition in Santa Anita Park 28 September.
The Into Mischief Colt even exceeded the wildest expectations, burst the center off the track and took the defensive victor of the race, straight No Chaser, to win the six-forelong, $ 200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes presented by Estrella Jalisco. As a result, imagination earned a berth in the November 1 $ 2 million Cygames Fokers’ Cup Sprint at Sea.
“We gave him a lot of time,” said trainer Bob Baffert about the dismissal of Imagination. “He looks beautiful. He filled it in and his work was just sensational recently. I thought, you know what, I’m just going to lead him in the sprint. There is less than three weeks a race for him. But this will put him on. He has always been a good horse. He is a bit quirky, but that’s his thing.”
How the imagination was won could be called quirky. Even unorthodox. Anyway, it worked. And it was amazing.
For the most part of the race it seemed that no Chaser would make it 2-out-2 in this race after winning last year. The 2024 male sprinter champion made it easy for the first five furlongs and was well ahead of the eighth post.
But Jockey Juan Hernandez On board the imagination went far outside when the field approached the turn of the home. With straight no hunter in the lead and not much real estate, Hernandez was on the sixth path at one point, but closed on the four path while rivals fell back.
With a Furlong left, the imagination came along the outside of the straight no-hunter and effortlessly blew past his enemy, causing the clock to stop at 1:09, 1 ¾ lengths before Dr. Venkman, who beyond a tiring straight no-chaser to Nab Runner-Up Honors.
“When I asked him to pick it up, he waved out and passed everyone,” said Hernandez. “This horse has talent. Bob said that I had to ride this horse with great faith. He worked really well and he was right. He did it very easily.”
Winning Sunday also broke a seven-race losing series for the Colt, whose last victory came to San Felipe Stakes 2024.
Cavalieri overcomes a bad start to win Zenyatta Stakes
Knights Kept her record flawlessly in five wins in the same number of starts in the $ 200,000 Zenyatta Stakes Earlier on the Sunday Card in Santa Anita despite jumping in the air when the gate opened. The Nyquist -Marriageeulen has so much talent that the lead that she gave her four rivals did not obstruct her chances.
Trainer Bob Baffert, who ended one-two-head with Cavalieri, Richi and Howin, had the confidence that Cavalieri could overcome the rough start, although he added with a grin: “She can’t break into the Breeders’ Cup-Daar we have to work on.”
Cavalieri went off as the 7-10 favorite despite the fact that he was no longer run since March 8 B. Wayne Hughes Spectator Mile Stakes presented by Fanduel TV. Her hop in the beginning made sure that she got away last instead of being second first, as in her first four races.
Juan Hernandez, who drove Cavalieri in all her races, let Cavalieri settled and she quickly went to the third while Richi set the pace.
“She moved a bit in the gate,” said Baffert. “She is such a nice mare. She can come from the pace. He got her in her pass.”
Hernandez noted that Cavalieri was nervous and excited because he did not come in that long.
“Even in the post parade she danced a little,” he said. “In the gate she moved a little and then she was fine. But then she moved when they opened the gate. It made sure she missed the break, but she recovered in three jumps and she recovered really well.”
The three Baffert runners dominated. Richi led for six Furlongs, and although Howin ran well, the stretch game came down on Richi and Cavalieri. Those two suitable steps shortly before Cavalieri claimed her superiority and scored with 1 ¾ lengths in 1: 42.64 for 1 1/16 mile.
“The further the better for Cavalieri,” said Baffert.
That is a good omen for the next start of Cavalieri, planned to get in the 1 1/8-MIJL Longines Breeders ‘Cup Distaff November 1 in Del Mar If the Zenyatta is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series event for the race. As far as Richi is concerned, Baffert indicated that she might prefer the Zeven-Furlong PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.
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