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.

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.