By Alan Carasso
In the week leading up to the Saudi Cup meeting, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert lamented to anyone who would listen about just how taxing those final 100 meters at King Abdulaziz Racecourse can be on the equine athletes.
And he's certainly got the right to take that position, given that the likes of Mucho Gusto and Charlatan couldn't quite see it out in the G1 Saudi Cup, while Havnameltdown was just tagged after a long stretch duel in the G3 Saudi Derby a few years back. Pinehurst did manage to strike for Baffert in the 2022 Derby….if only just.
In Saturday's $2-million G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland this fall, that final half-furlong finally came in handy, as Imagination (Into Mischief), last seen finishing runner-up in the 2025 Sprint at Del Mar, needed every inch of the deep surface to grind his way past fellow American shipper Just Beat the Odds (Munnings) for the victory. Saudi Arabia's top sprinter Muqtahem (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}), runner-up to Straight No Chaser (Speightster) here 12 months ago, picked up more prize money with a valiant third.
Imagination was behind the eight ball right from the word go after missing the break and found himself in a cloud of dust from near the back of the pack. Just Beat the Odds argued the early fractions outside of the Dubai-based Echo Point (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), with Breeders' Cup Sprint fourth American Stage (Into Mischief) and Muqtahem widest out.
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 gallant in third ahead of American Stage, with California's Lovesick Blues (Grazen) rallying belatedly into fifth.
“Usually when they hit the 100-meter mark, my horses start gassing out, but he was just getting going,” Baffert said. “Brilliant ride by Prat. You have to have a really good horse to win here and they have to show up on this big night.”
Added the recently crowned champion jockey: “He broke a step slow and then I got squeezed but I felt very confident when we hit the turn, he was travelling very well and kicked on good. I think he's going to keep improving. Bob always loved him, it took him a bit of time to figure it out but with time he's just getting better and better.”
Pedigree Notes:
The longshot winner of the 2012 GII Barbara Fritchie Handicap and third behind Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band) in that year's GI Humana Distaff Stakes for breeder Peter Blum and Allen Iwinski, Magical Feeling has bred eight foals, all of which have started and six of which are winners, including 2023 GIII Monmouth Oaks victress Occult and the listed winners Exulting and Magical.
Imagination traces back to Blum's Mine Only–Imagination's fourth dam–and the female family includes Grade I winners Golden Ticket (Speightstown) and Well Chosen (Deputy Minister) as well as Academy Award (Secretariat) and the MG1SP Tomahawk (Seattle Slew). Sixth dam Sun Igual was a full-sister to Horse of the Year and Triple Crown winner Assault.
The cross of Into Mischief–now 21 years old–over Empire Maker mares has been a potent one, accounting for 33 winners from 48 starters and eight full stakes winners. Among those are 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard and GI Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun; the latter's 'Rising Star' full-brother Mullion; Laurel River, the 2024 G1 Dubai World Cup romper; and the late Taraz. New York-based stallion Honest Mischief is a son of Empire Maker's half-sister Honest Lady (Seattle Slew).
Magical Feeling is also the dam of the 3-year-old colt Make My Day (Gun Runner), a $1.1-million KEESEP purchase who was a distant third behind 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Emerging Market (Candy Ride {Arg}) at Tampa Feb. 7, and the mare is due to National Treasure for her 2026 produce.
Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
RIYADH DIRT SPRINT (Presented by SHG)-G2, $2,000,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-14, 4yo/up, 1200m, 1:12, ft.
1-IMAGINATION, 126, h, 5, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Magical Feeling (GSW & GISP-US, $554,532), by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Magical Mood (GB), by Forestry
3rd Dam: Good Mood, by Devil's Bag
($1,050,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, Stonestreet Stables, LLC, Dianne Bashor, Robert E. Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, LLC, Catherine Donovan, Tom J. Ryan; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat;$1,200,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW & MGISP-US, 15-4-6-2, $2,143,700. *1/2 to Exulting (Tapit), SW-US, $687,370; Magical (Tapit), SW-US, $164,550; and a full to Occult (Into Mischief), GSW & MGISP-US, $721,006. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Just Beat The Odds, 126, g, 6, Munnings–Bella d'Oro, by Medaglia d'Oro. O-Donna Wright; B-Red Oak Stable (KY); T-Greg Sacco; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.; $400,000.
3–Muqtahem (Ire), 126, g, 5, Soldier's Call (GB)–Smooth Sailing (GB), by Bated Breath (GB). (£27,000 Ylg '22 GOFPRE; £60,000 2yo '23 GOFAPR). O-Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah; B-Ballyhane; T-Abdullah Alsidrani; J-Muhammad Aldaham; $200,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 2 3/4.
Also Ran: American Stage, Lovesick Blues, Gabby's Sister (Jpn), Don Amitie (Jpn), Transferred (Ire), Colour Up (Ire), Echo Point (Ire), Self Improvement (Aus), Yamanin Cerchi (Jpn), Royal Zabeel (Ire). Click for the JCSA chart and VIDEO (SC 9).
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