Imagination took the $300,000 San Felipe S. (G2) to become the first of three Bob Baffert trainees to capture graded stakes on the March 3rd card at Santa Anita Park.
The San Felipe was filled with drama as well. The compact field of four was away in good order, but Scatify, in third along the rail, bore out badly into the hindquarters of Imagination going into the first turn, sending him wide. Imagination’s stablemate Wine Me Up, who had the lead, was unaffected and led through a half-mile in :47.04.
Imagination took a narrow lead midway on the backstretch, setting the stage for a very tight duel the rest of the way. Both horses took turns leading the race around the final turn and down the stretch, with Imagination getting a narrow win by a head in 1:44.55 for the 1 1/16-miles on a fast track.
“It’s good to see him have the confidence to put it back together and not back down from a fight and get there at the wire,” said Baffert, who has won the San Felipe a record nine times. “I think there is a lot of potential in this horse. He is just learning as he goes, and I think the farther the better. He is a classy colt, he’s always shown it, he looks it and thankfully his ability matches his looks.”
The winner is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Robert E. Masterson, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan and Tom J. Ryan. The San Felipe was Imagination’s first stakes start and improved his record to 2-3-0 in five starts, with earnings of $256,800.