HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Bob Baffert admitted he is still “trying to figure out” his multiple Grade 1-placed Imagination. As of Monday, this dilemma had Baffert sorting out whether to ship Imagination to South Florida for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream on Jan. 25.
Imagination is coming off a third-place finish in the seven-furlong, Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita, for which he received a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure. It was the best effort by the 4-year-old son of Into Mischief since his second-place finish in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby nearly nine months earlier. That race marks the only time he’s tried the nine-furlong distance of the Pegasus in 11 lifetime starts.
Imagination was back on the work tab for the first time since the Malibu on Saturday, breezing four furlongs in 47.60 seconds over a fast track at Santa Anita.
“As of now, I’m still on the fence with him,” Baffert said. “I can either send him there for the Pegasus or run him [at Santa Anita] the same day in the San Pasqual. He’s doing really well, probably the best he’s ever done, but his route races just haven’t been that good, and I don’t have a jockey yet if we should decide to come.”
Baffert has had considerable success in the Pegasus since its inception in 2017, having won the inaugural with Arrogate, the 2020 edition with Mucho Gusto, and again last year with National Treasure.
Imagination is one of 12 horses on the second invitation list for the Pegasus. That list was reduced to 11 when trainer Cherie DeVaux confirmed Monday that she would keep Skinner, winner of the Grade 3 Native Diver at Del Mar in his 2024 finale, at Fair Grounds for his next start. The starting status of Grade 1 winner Saudi Crown also remained up in the air as of Monday.
A third and final invitation list for the race will be announced on Wednesday.
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