Baffert's Imagination Joins Muth as Aimed for Preakness

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert—who remains barred by Churchill Downs from racing there, notably in the Kentucky Derby (G1)—looks poised to run a pair of 3-year-olds in the May 18 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course. In addition to Muth, who was confirmed to the second leg of the Triple Crown by owner Amr Zedan or Zedan Racing Stables after the owner's unsuccessful legal challenge to the ban, the Baffert-trained Imagination is pointed to the Preakness, the latter's co-owner Jack Wolf said April 29. The San Felipe Stakes (G2) winner was a close second to Stronghold in the April 6 Santa Anita Derby (G1) at Santa Anita Park. The Into Mischief colt breezed five furlongs in :59 4/5 at Santa Anita April 28, his second workout since his last race. "Knock on wood, the horse came out of the breeze in good order," said Wolf, co-founder of Starlight Racing. Muth also breezed at Santa Anita Sunday, covering six furlongs in 1:12 2/5, and is expected to be one of the Preakness favorites. Imagination races for the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Bob Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, and Tom Ryan. Many of those owners took the Preakness last year with National Treasure, who gave Baffert his eighth Preakness win. National Treasure added the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) this year at age 4.