Into Mischief’s Imagination Leads American 1-2 In Riyadh Dirt Sprint

[Wandering Eyes]

IMAGINATION (h, 5, Into Mischief–Magical Feeling, by Empire Maker) was behind the eight ball after missing the break in Saturday's $2-million G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint and found himself in a cloud of dust from near the back of the pack. Trainer Bob Baffert earlier in the week lamented the testing nature of the long stretch at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, having 'lost millions of dollars' in that final 100 meters, but that worked in his favor on this occasion, as he was up in the final yards. The Riyadh Dirt Sprint earns Imagination a 'Win and You're In' ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland later this fall.

Favored at odds-on, Imagination raced well back as GIII Elite Power Stakes hero Just Beat The Odds (Munnings), Echo Point (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and American Stage (Into Mischief) fought out the early fractions with Muqtahem (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}), last year's runner-up, tracking from out wide.

Switched off heels while racing on his wrong lead approaching mid-stretch, Imagination continued to plug away gamely and surged past Just Beat The Odds for the victory despite never changing his legs. Muqtahem was a gallant third ahead of American Stage, with California's Lovesick Blues (Grazen) coming home belatedly for fifth.

Sales history: $1,050,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Bashor, Dianne, Masterson, Robert E., Waves Edge Capital LLC, Donovan, Catherine and Ryan, Tom J.; B-Peter E Blum Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert

 

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