Cavalieri defies poor start in Zenyatta; Imagination upsets SA Sprint Championship

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Juan Hernandez teamed up to sweep the Breeders’ Cup Challenge events at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Unbeaten Cavalieri overcame a poor start to justify 7-10 favoritism in the $200,000 Zenyatta (G2), a “Win and You’re In” for the Distaff (G1). In the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2), Imagination dethroned 7-10 favorite Straight No Chaser and booked his spot in the Sprint (G1). 

Zenyatta (G2)

“I was scared.”

That’s how Peter Fluor of Speedway Stables felt when Cavalieri went vertical at the start of the Zenyatta. Not only did she spot the field a few lengths, but the Nyquist filly found herself behind for the first time in her limited career. In her four prior starts, Cavalieri had been on the lead or forcing the pace. 

Regular rider Juan Hernandez calmly let her find her rhythm, and the pace was modest enough for Cavalieri to recover a handy position. The question was how much the unorthodox break might cost her at the business end, especially coming off a layoff since the March 8 Beholder Mile (G1). 

Moreover, stablemate Richi was enjoying her position as the controlling speed through fractions of :23.67, :48, and 1:11.60. But just as she did in the Beholder Mile, Cavalieri packed a stronger punch to overtake Richi down the stretch.

Cavalieri kicked away by a bigger margin – 1 3/4 lengths – over this 1 1/16-mile trip, in an encouraging sign ahead of the 1 1/8-mile Distaff. The dark bay clocked 1:42.64 to remain unbeaten.

“She was acting up, she was nervous,” Hernandez said of Cavalieri’s pre-race behavior. “It had been a while since she had run, so she was excited. Even in the post-parade, she was dancing a little bit.  

“In the gate, she moved a little bit, and then she was OK, but then she moved when they opened the gate. It caused her to miss the break, but she recovered in three jumps, and she recovered really well. 

“She was tracking the horse in front of me (Richi) the whole race. She knew that she was in the right spot because she wasn’t pulling or trying to go by. She was running really comfortably the whole race. Turning for home at the quarter pole, I asked her to pick it up, she switched leads, she took off, and passed the horse in front of me. She is back.”

 Baffert commended Hernandez for the ride.

“When she missed the break, I thought, ‘Well, oh well’. But we knew that she is very talented,” the horseman said. 

“He got her up there. Juan, he didn’t panic. He was patient with her and got her in a nice spot down the backside. When I saw the fillies going down together, I knew they were going to have to sprint home. They went easy the first half, so I think that helped a lot.”

Howin rounded out the Baffert trifecta in an isolated third. Defending champion Sugar Fish, yet to perform up to that level since, trudged home fourth. Peruvian import La Kika, last seen capturing a “Win and You’re In” for the Filly & Mare Turf (G1) in her homeland, was eased across the wire.

Now 5-for-5, Cavalieri increased her earnings to $438,000. The $900,000 OBS April purchase did not race at two and made only two starts as a sophomore. She climbed to the graded level this term, capturing her stakes debut in the Jan. 19 La Canada (G3) at this track and trip prior to the Beholder Mile.

“She is just so talented, the further the better for her,” Baffert said. “Now she has had the time off. I knew she was going to be a little rusty today. I didn’t think she was going to be that rusty in the gate, but she was. This will set her up perfectly for the Breeders’ Cup.” 

Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2)

One year ago, Straight No Chaser parlayed a comeback romp here into a Breeders’ Cup Sprint victory and a divisional Eclipse Award. Bettors expected history to repeat itself for the defending champion. But this time, the brilliant speedster couldn’t get away.

Instead, it was another comebacker, Imagination, who struck top form. Sidelined since his fourth in the Jan. 25 San Pasqual (G2) going 1 1/8 miles, the Into Mischief colt was reverting to six furlongs for the first time since his career debut as a juvenile. But he had been third in last December’s Malibu (G1) in his latest one-turn attempt, and shortening up again was the right idea. 

Straight No Chaser bagged the lead through an opening quarter in :22.02 and established a 1 1/2-length cushion at the half in :44.71. Unlike last fall, when the champion just kept widening his margin in this prep, the decisive separation never came.

Imagination took the overland route into contention while proving a bit tough to handle. Trying to lug in at the top of the lane, he brushed Wound Up and influenced Dr. Venkman to alter course to the inside for his rally. 

Despite his waywardness on the left lead, Imagination maintained his forward momentum. The 5.60-1 shot swamped Straight No Chaser and drew 1 3/4 lengths clear in 1:09.

“I didn’t want to be that wide,” Hernandez said, “but I had no choice after that. I just decided to stay over there and then wait for the straight to make a run. When I asked him to pick it up, he swung out and he passed everybody.

“This horse has talent. Bob told me to ride this horse with a lot of confidence. He was working really good, and he was right. He did it really easy. 

“He’s just a little hard-headed. Sometimes he likes to lug in and lug out, but today he was lugging in. But he was running, so that was perfect.”

Dr. Venkman overhauled Straight No Chaser by a half-length for second. Next came Smooth Cruisein, Awesome Rhythm, Mbagnick, and Baffert’s other runner, Speed Boat Beach, who retreated to a tailed-off last.

Imagination paid $13.20 while enhancing his record to 13-3-5-2, $603,700. A competitor on the 2024 Triple Crown trail, the bay scored a hard-fought decision in the San Felipe (G2) and just got outfinished by Stronghold in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). After a seventh in the Preakness (G1), Imagination cut back in distance and went on to place in the one-mile Shared Belief S. and the Malibu. 

“We freshened him up,” Baffert said. “He needed a freshening. We gave him a lot of time. He looks beautiful, he has filled out, and his work was just sensational the other day. I just thought, you know what, I am just going to run him in the Sprint. There is not a race for him for another three weeks, but this will set him up. 

“He’s always been a good horse. He’s a little quirky, but that is his thing.”

The $1.05 million Keeneland September yearling races for the ownership consortium of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Robert Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, and Tom Ryan.