Trainer Bob Baffert returns to Santa Anita with Imagination, aiming for consecutive wins in the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, a six-furlong race. Among the top contenders are the leading finishers from this summer’s Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar, including the winner, Listenupshance.
Victorious horses in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship receive a fees-paid entry into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland on October 31 through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series.
Imagination claimed last year’s Santa Anita Sprint Championship by a margin of 1 ¾ lengths with jockey Juan Hernandez, going off at 5-1 odds. He later secured a runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar. This year, however, Imagination has competed solely outside California.
This 5-year-old colt by Into Mischief began his season with a win in the Grade 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint on the Saudi Cup card on February 14. He has since placed fourth in both the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes and the Grade 3 True North at Saratoga, and recently finished ninth out of ten runners as a favorite in the Grade 3 Hanshin Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 28.
Owned by a large consortium including SF Racing, Starlight Stables, Madaket Stables, and Stonestreet Stables, Imagination has a record of 18 starts with 4 wins, 6 seconds, and 2 thirds, earning over $2.2 million. Juan Hernandez resumes his role as the jockey in the upcoming Sprint Championship.
Listenupshance, who finished third ahead of Imagination in the 6 ½-furlong True North stakes, was narrowly beaten by Book ’em Danno by just three-quarters of a length. In the six-furlong Bing Crosby Stakes on July 25, Listenupshance, guided by Emisael Jaramillo, set the pace and just held on to win by a nose over Maximum Bourbon.
The 4-year-old gelding by Shancelot is trained by Doug O’Neill for Run Fast Racing and Great Friends Stables. With a record of 13 starts including 4 wins, 3 second-place finishes, and 3 third-place finishes, he has earned $438,570. Jaramillo will again be in the irons for Listenupshance.
Maximum Bourbon, who pressed the pace under Joel Rosario in the Bing Crosby and fell just short of victory, will have Umberto Rispoli aboard for the first time on Sunday. Prior to the Bing Crosby, Maximum Bourbon secured a win in the St. Matthews Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs in April, running six furlongs.
This 4-year-old gelding by Maximum Security is trained by Phil D’Amato for Agave Racing Stable, Rockin Robin Racing Stables, and Evan Trommer. He boasts a record of 7 starts with 4 wins and 2 seconds, earning $325,034.
THE G2 SANTA ANITA SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP – JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 4 of 9 — Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT
- Listenupshance — Emisael Jaramillo — 126 lbs
- Imagination — Juan Hernandez — 124 lbs
- Ahrens — Joel Rosario — 118 lbs
- March of Time — Kazushi Kimura — 122 lbs
- Maximum Bourbon — Umberto Rispoli — 122 lbs
The first race on Sunday begins at 1 p.m. PT.
This article originally appeared in the Paulick Report News section on September 22, 2026. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source here.
Fan Take: This race not only showcases seasoned sprinters battling for a coveted spot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint but also highlights the high level of competition shaping modern sprint racing. Fans should watch closely, as the outcomes here may signal shifting dynamics among top sprinters and influence future training and racing strategies in the sport.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
