Imagination

Imagination, a son of top sire Into Mischief, was purchased for $1.05 million as a yearling by a large ownership group and made his first career start for trainer Bob Baffert on Nov. 11, 2023, finishing second in a six-furlong sprint at Del Mar.

The bay colt nearly won his next start when stretching out at Del Mar, losing a one-mile race by a nose on Dec. 2, and then graduated in career start number three, taking a one-mile event at Santa Anita Park by 1 ¾ lengths in his 3-year-old debut on Jan. 1, 2024.

Imagination next lost a one-mile allowance optional claiming race by a neck to stablemate Maymun on Feb. 11 but was still elevated in class for a start in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes March 3 at Santa Anita Park. He dueled with stablemate Wine Me Up through the stretch of the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe and prevailed by a head under Frankie Dettori.

Imagination went to the $750,000 Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and was sent off as the favorite in an eight-horse field for his next start on April 6. Imagination battled gamely in the stretch in the Santa Anita Derby and suffered a close loss to Stronghold when forced to settle for second.

Imagination had done enough to earn enough qualifying points to run in the Kentucky Derby but could not be entered in the run for the roses due to Churchill Downs’ suspension of his trainer, Bob Baffert. Imagination made his next start in the Preakness Stakes on May 18 at Pimlico, and subsequently finished seventh in an eight-horse field. He then finished seventh in the Woody Stephens Stakes in June at Saratoga after Baffert shortened him up in distance, and closed out his 3-year-old campaign with a third in the Shared Belief Stakes, a close second in an allowance optional claiming race, and then a fourth in the Malibu Stakes, all held back in Southern California.

To start 2025, Imagination was sent off as the 7-10 favorite in the 1 1/8-mile San Pasqual Stakes in January at his home track of Santa Anita Park. He was part of a contested early pace and tired to finish fourth of seven, and was then away from the track for just over seven months. The colt returned in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes Presented by Estrellas Jalisco on Sept. 28, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November.

With jockey Juan Hernandez back in the saddle for the first time since the colt’s maiden win in early 2024, Imagination sat near the back of the Santa Anita Sprint field early on in the six-furlong race before moving up four-wide in the turn and taking aim on the leaders in early stretch. He closed with a swift turn of foot to overtake pacesetter, defending race winner, and 2024 champion sprinter Straight No Chaser and had more than enough in reserve to hold off fellow closer Dr. Venkman for an impressive 1 ¾-length victory.

Imagination is out of the Grade 2-winning Empire Maker mare Magical Feeling and is a full brother (same sire [father] and dam [mother]) to Grade 3 winner Occult. He is also a half-brother (different sire [father], same dam [mother]) to two other stakes winners.