Imagination sweeps past Straight No Chaser in the stretch. (Benoit Photo)
Santa Anita Park Press
ARCADIA, CA —Imagination returns to Santa Anita for trainer Bob Baffert where he will try to make it back-to-back victories in the Grade II, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship presented by Estrella Jalisco going six furlongs. Looming among his rivals are the top two finishers from this summer’s GI Bing Crosby at Del Mar led by winner Listenupshance.
The winner of the Santa Anita Sprint Championship earns a fees paid berth in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland Race Course on Oct. 31 via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series.
Imagination scored in last year’s Santa Anita Sprint Championship by 1 ¾ lengths under jockey Juan Hernandez at odds of 5-1. He went on to finish second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar. This year, Imagination has raced exclusively outside California.
A 5-year-old horse by Into Mischief, Imagination kicked off the campaign winning the GII Riyadh Dirt Sprint on the Feb. 14 Saudi Cup program. He has since finished fourth in both the GI Churchill Downs Stakes and GIII True North at Saratoga, and most recently finished ninth of 10 as a tepid favorite in the GIII Hanshin Stakes going a one-turn mile at Churchill Downs on June 28.
Imagination is owned by an extensive ownership group that includes SF Racing, Starlight Stables, Madaket Stables and Stonestreet Stables. He is 18: 4-6-2 with $2,218,150 in earnings. Hernandez will again be partnered with Imagination in Santa Anita Sprint Championship.
Listenupshance in the 6 ½-furlong True North finished one spot ahead of Imagination in third, beaten just three-quarters of a length by top sprinter Book ‘em Danno. In the six-furlong Bing Crosby on July 25, Listenupshance set the pace under Emisael Jaramillo and held on to win by a nose over Maximum Bourbon.
A 4-year-old gelding by Shancelot, Listenupshance is trained by Doug O’Neill for owners Run Fast Racing and Great Friends Stables. He is 13: 4-3-3 with $438,570 in earnings. Jaramillo again has the call on Listenupshance.
Maximum Bourbon in the Bing Crosby stalked the pace under Joel Rosario and then came up just short of catching the winner. On Sunday, he’ll be ridden by Umberto Rispoli for the first time. Prior to the Bing Crosby effort, Maximum Bourbon won the St. Matthews Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs going six furlongs in April.
A 4-year-old gelding by Maximum Security, Maximum Bourbon is trained by Phil D’Amato for owners Agave Racing Stable, Rockin Robin Racing Stables and Evan Trommer. He is 7: 4-2-0 with $325,034 in earnings.
THE GRADE II SANTA ANITA SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 4 of 9 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT
Maximum Bourbon—Umberto Rispoli—122
Listenupshance—Emisael Jaramillo—126
Imagination—Juan Hernandez—124
Ahrens—Joel Rosario—118
March of Time—Kazushi Kimura—122
Comments