Imagine (horse)

Last updated
Imagine
Racing silks of Susan Magnier.svg
Racing colours of Susan Magnier
Sire Sadler's Wells
Grandsire Northern Dancer
Dam Doff the Derby
Damsire Master Derby
Sex Mare
Foaled20 February 1998
CountryIreland
Colour Bay
BreederBarronstown Stud and Orpendale
Owner Susan Magnier & Diane Nagle
Trainer Aidan O'Brien
Record10: 4-2-2
Earnings£382,032
Major wins
C. L. Weld Park Stakes (2000)
Irish 1000 Guineas (2001)
Epsom Oaks (2001)
Honours
Timeform rating 119

Imagine (foaled 20 February 1998) was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the Irish 1000 Guineas and The Oaks in 2001. In a racing career which lasted from August 2000 to June 2001 the filly ran ten times and won four races. As a two-year-old, Imagine ran six times, winning the Group Three C. L. Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh and finishing second in the Group Two Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket. The following spring, the filly was beaten in her first two races before winning the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh. Imagine recorded her most valuable success on her final appearance, winning the Classic Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom. She never raced again, but proved to be a successful broodmare.

Contents

Background

Imagine is a dark-coated bay mare sired by the thirteen time Champion sire Sadler's Wells. [1] She was the last foal of her dam, the American bred mare Doff the Derby, who had become famous a decade earlier as the dam of The Derby winner Generous. Doff the Derby was a half-sister of the leading racemare Trillion, who in turn produced the multiple Group One winner Triptych. [2] Imagine was bred by a partnership between Barronstown Stud, who owned Doff the Derby, and Orpendale, [3] a breeding company associated with the Coolmore organisation. Like many Coolmore horses, Imagine was trained by Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle. The filly usually raced in the colours of Susan Magnier, the wife of John Magnier although she was partly owned by Diane Nagle one of the owners of Barronstown.

Racing career

2000: two-year-old season

Imagine initially bypassed maiden races, making her first appearance in the Listed Debutante Stakes at the Curragh in August 2000 and finishing third behind the more experienced fillies Affianced and Sequoyah. She was then moved up to Group One level for the Moyglare Stud Stakes over the same course two weeks later. Ridden by the British veteran George Duffield, she finished sixth of the ten runners behind Sequoyah. Eleven days later Imagine was dropped in class for maiden race at Gowran Park and recorded her first win, ridden for the first time by Mick Kinane. [4] Nine days late, Imagine was sent to England to contest the Group One Fillies' Mile at Ascot. She led for most of the way, but weakened in the closing stages and finished fourth to Crystal Music. On 30 September, Imagine, running for the fifth time in forty-one days contested the Group Three C. L. Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh. Starting the 5/2 favourite against eleven other fillies, she led from the start and held the late challenge of Katherine Seymour to win by half a length. [5] Imagine's final appearance of 2000 came in the Group Two Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket in October. In a close and rough finish, Imagine overcame interference to finish third, beaten a short head and half a length by Sayedah and Katherine Seymour, but was promoted to second place when the runner-up was disqualified after a steward's inquiry. [6]

2001: three-year-old season

Imagine reappeared as a three-year-old in the Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes in April. She started the 9/10 favourite but was beaten five and a half lengths by the easy winner Rebelline. [7] On 7 May, Imagine was made favourite for the Listed Athasi Stakes but finished third behind Cool Clarity and Rose Gypsy. The field for the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh included Rebelline, Cool Clarity, Sequoyah, Katherine Seymour and Crystal Music, who started favourite, while Imagine was not fancied and started a 16/1 outsider. Ridden by Seamie Heffernan, Imagine was restrained in the early stages before moving up to fourth place a quarter of a mile from the finish. Imagine took the lead just inside the final furlong and ran on strongly to win by two lengths from Crystal Music. [8] Imagine's win, which came one day after O'Brien had trained the first three horses in the Irish 2000 Guineas, [9] enabled Sadler's Wells to equal the record of 45 individual Group One/Grade I set by Sir Tristram. [10]

Twelve days after her win in the Irish classic, Imagine started 3/1 favourite against thirteen opponents in the Epsom Oaks. O'Brien had not been able to run his horses in Britain earlier in the season because of restrictions on the movement of livestock imposed as a result of the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak. [11] Ridden by Kinane, Imagine was restrained at the back of the field in the early stages and seemed to be struggling just after halfway as she seemed unable to handle the downhill section of the course. [12] She turned into the straight in eighth place but then made steady progress down the centre of the course to challenge the leader Relish the Thought inside the last quarter mile. Imagine overtook Relish the Thought 150 yards from the finish and won by one and a quarter lengths with the fast-finishing second favourite Flight of Fancy (owned by the Queen) taking second place in the last strides. [13] The first three were all daughters of Sadler's Wells. [14] After the race O'Brien said that Imagine was "an amazing filly to win like that when it was ground she didn't like." [11]

Shortly after the Oaks, Imagine sustained an injury (described by O'Brien as a "stone bruise") which interrupted her training. During her break she gained a great deal of weight and it proved impossible to bring her back to peak fitness for a run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. In September it was announced that she would be retired from racing. [10]

Assessment and honours

In the 2001 International Classification (the forerunner of the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings), Imagine was given a rating of 117, making her the equal tenth best three-year-old filly in the world (and the third best in Europe), six pounds below the top-rated Banks Hill. [15]

The independent Timeform organisation gave Imagine a rating of 119. [16]

Stud record

Imagine was retired to become a broodmare for the Coolmore Stud, and proved highly successful. Her first foal was Horatio Nelson, by Danehill who won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère and was fatally injured when second favourite for the 2006 Epsom Derby. [17] She went on to produce the Group Two winners Viscount Nelson and Kitty Matcham as well as Red Rock Canyon, who won only one minor race but acted as pacemaker for the Ballydoyle champions Dylan Thomas and Duke of Marmalade. [18]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Imagine (IRE), bay mare, 1998 [19]
Sire
Sadler's Wells (USA)
1981
Northern Dancer
1961
Nearctic Nearco
Lady Angela
Natalma Native Dancer
Almahmoud
Fairy Bridge
1975
Bold Reason Hail to Reason
Lalun
SpecialForli
Thong
Dam
Doff the Derby (USA)
1981
Master Derby
1972
Dust Commander Bold Commander
Dust Storm
Madam JerryRoyal Coinage
Our Kretchen
Margarethen
1962
Tulyar Tehran
Neocracy
Russ-Marie Nasrullah
Marguery (Family:4-n) [20]

Related Research Articles

Alexandrova (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Alexandrova is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning The Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks in 2006.

Blue Bunting (horse) American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Blue Bunting is an American-bred, British-trained thoroughbred racehorse which won the classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse in 2011. In a racing career which lasted from July 2010 until September 2011 she won five of her eight races. After winning two of her three races in 2010, she was an upset winner of the 1000 Guineas on her first start as a three-year-old. She was beaten when favourite for The Oaks but returned to record further Group One successes in the Irish Oaks and the Yorkshire Oaks. She ran poorly in the St Leger in autumn and was retired from racing after sustaining an injury early in 2012.

Ramruma American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Ramruma is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse who was bred in the United States, but trained in the United Kingdom during a racing career which lasted from September 1998 until September 2000. In 1999, Ramruma won five of her six races including three Group One races: The Oaks and the Irish Oaks against other three-year-old fillies and the Yorkshire Oaks in which she also defeated older fillies and mares. Her performances led to Ramruma being named European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly at the Cartier Racing Awards. She was retired after failing to win in three starts as a four-year-old in 2000.

Maybe (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Maybe is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She was undefeated in five races in 2011 including the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes and was awarded the title of European Champion Two-Year-Old Filly of 2011 at the Cartier Racing Awards. She was the winter favourite for the 2012 1000 Guineas.

Homecoming Queen (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Homecoming Queen is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She showed moderate form as a two-year-old in 2011 but demonstrated dramatic improvement in the spring of 2012 and won the 1000 Guineas by nine lengths. She was beaten in her two subsequent races and was retired to stud in July 2012.

Speciosa is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from June 2005 and October 2007 she ran seventeen times and won four races. As a two-year-old, she won two of her six races including an upset win in the Group Two Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. As a three-year-old she won the Nell Gwyn Stakes and then took the Classic 1000 Guineas for her trainer and part owner Pam Sly. She failed to win in nine subsequent races although she placed second in the Earl of Sefton Stakes and the Pretty Polly Stakes. She was retired at the end of the 2007 season to become a broodmare. Her front-running style and unconventional background made her a popular Classic winner.

Virginia Waters is an American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from September 2004 to October 2005 she ran twelve times and won three races. After winning once from four starts as a two-year-old, she won the Group Three Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial Stakes on her first appearance of 2005. She then recorded her most important success when winning the Classic 1000 Guineas two of her six races including an upset win in the Group Two Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. Virginia Waters failed to win her remaining six races, her best results coming when she finished fourth in The Oaks and second in the Matron Stakes. At the end of her three-year-old season she was retired from racing to become a broodmare.

Wince was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a racing career which lasted from June 1998 to May 1999 she ran nine times and won four races. After winning twice from six starts as a two-year-old, she won the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury. On her next appearance Wince won the Classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse. On her only subsequent appearance she finished unplaced in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh three weeks later. At the end of her three-year-old season she was retired from racing to become a successful broodmare.

Sleepytime is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career which lasted from September 1996 to April 1998 she ran six times and won two races. In two races as a two-year-old she won one race, and finished third in the Group One Fillies' Mile at Ascot. On her three-year-old debut she was beaten in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury but then won the Classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse. On her only subsequent appearance that year she finished third in the Coronation Stakes. After one unsuccessful run in 1998 she was retired from racing to become a successful broodmare.

Shadayid was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a racing career which lasted from June 1990 to November 1991 she ran eleven times winning five races and being placed five times. Shadayid was one of the leading two-year-old fillies in Europe in 1990, winning all three of her races including the Group One Prix Marcel Boussac at the Longchamp. After winning the Fred Darling Stakes on her three-year-old debut, Shadayid took her unbeaten run to five by winning the Classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. Although she never won again, she finished second in the Coronation Stakes and the Sussex Stakes and third in the Haydock Sprint Cup and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Shadayid was retired from racing to become a broodmare at the end of her three-year-old season after finishing seventh in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

Eswarah British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Eswarah is a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the 2005 Epsom Oaks. In a racing career which lasted from April to August 2005 the filly ran five times and won three races. Unraced as a two-year-old, Eswarah won her first three races as a three-year-old culminating with a win in the Classic Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom. In her two subsequent appearances she finished eighth in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and fourth in the Yorkshire Oaks.

Love Divine British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Love Divine was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning The Oaks in 2000. In a racing career which lasted from August 2000 to June 2001 the filly ran six times and won two races. After being beaten in her only race as a two-year-old, Love Divine won the Listed Lupe Stakes on her three-year-old debut and then won the Classic Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom. She was beaten in her three remaining races, finishing second in the Yorkshire Oaks and fourth in both the Prix Vermeille and the Champion Stakes.

Shahtoush Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Shahtoush was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning The Oaks in 1998. In a racing career which lasted from August 1997 to September 1998 the filly ran eleven times and won three races. Shahtoush won only one minor race as a two-year-old, but showed top-class form when she finished third in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes. In 1998 she finished second in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse and then returned to England to win the Classic Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom. She was beaten in her two remaining races, finishing unplaced in the Yorkshire Oaks and the Irish Champion Stakes.

Lady Carla British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Lady Carla was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning The Oaks in 1996. In a racing career which lasted from October 1995 to July 1997 the filly ran six times and won three races. After winning her only race as a two-year-old, Lady Carla won the Listed Oaks Trial Stakes at Lingfield Park on her three-year-old debut. Four weeks later she maintained her unbeaten run in the Classic Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom, winning by nine lengths. She was beaten when favourite for the Irish Oaks and finished unplaced in two races the following season before being retired to stud.

Moonshell (horse) Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Moonshell was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning The Oaks in 1995. In a racing career which lasted from October 1994 to May 1996, the filly ran five times and won two races. After winning her only race as a two-year-old, Moonshell joined the Godolphin Racing team and spent the winter in Dubai. In the spring of 2005, she returned to England to finish third in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and then won the Classic Oaks over one and a half miles at Epsom. Moonshell did not run again as a three-year-old and was well beaten in two races in 1996 before being retired to stud.

Tarascon was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. As a two-year-old in 1997 she was one of the leading fillies of her generation in Ireland winning two of her four races including the Moyglare Stud Stakes. In the following season she became rather temperamental and ran poorly in the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks Stakes, but produced her best form to win the Irish 1,000 Guineas. She retired after winning three of her nine races and had some success as a broodmare.

Hula Angel was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas in 1999. As a two-year-old she showed steady improvement in six races, winning a maiden on her third appearance and finishing third in the Oh So Sharp Stakes before winning the Group Two Rockfel Stakes. In the following spring she finished sixth in the 1000 Guineas before recording her biggest win in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh. She was well beaten in two subsequent races and was retired from racing at the end of the year. Hula Angel finished ahead of the 1,000 Guineas winner Wince in three of their four racecourse meetings. She has had some success a dam of winners.

Yesterday was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed considerable promise as a two-year-old in 2002, winning a maiden race and being placed in the Debutante Stakes and the Rockfel Stakes before taking the Eyrefield Stakes. In the following spring she won the Irish 1000 Guineas and appeared an unlucky loser when narrowly beaten in The Oaks. She failed to win again but finished placed in the Prix Vermeille, Prix de l'Opéra and the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Ebadiyla was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Bred and owned by the Aga Khan an trained by John Oxx she was unraced as a two-year-old in 1996 but quickly established herself as a very promising filly in the following spring with an emphatic win on her racecourse debut followed by a narrow defeat in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. After finishing sixth in The Oaks she won the Irish Oaks and ended her season with a six length win in the Prix Royal-Oak. She remained in training as a four-year-old but failed to win in three races although she did finish third in a strong renewal of the Coronation Cup. After her retirement from racing she had considerable success as a dam of winners.

Bracelet is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She won the second of her two starts as a two-year-old in 2013 and developed into a top-class filly in the following year, taking the Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial and Ribblesdale Stakes. She recorded her biggest victory on her sixth and final appearance when she won the Irish Oaks. She was retired from racing at the end of the season and became a broodmare for the Coolmore Stud.

References

  1. "Leading Sires of Great Britain and Ireland". Tbheritage.com. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  2. Nigel Pullen. "Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Imagine". Pedigreepost.net. Archived from the original on 2011-11-27. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  3. "Grade I Winner Blush With Pride Dead". BloodHorse. 2005-09-09. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  4. "Ballylinch Stud Maiden Stakes". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  5. "C L Weld Park Stakes". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  6. "Rockfel Stakes". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  7. "Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial Stakes". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  8. "Irish 1000 Guineas". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  9. J A McGrath (2001-05-27). "Imagine completes Irish Guineas double for O'Brien". Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  10. 1 2 "Epsom heroine Imagine has run last race". Racing Post . 2001-09-06. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  11. 1 2 "Imagine on song in Oaks". BBC News. 2001-06-08. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  12. "Imagine Wins Epsom Oaks; Mutafaweq Takes Coronation Cup". BloodHorse. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  13. "Epsom Oaks". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  14. J A McGrath (2001-06-08). "The Oaks: Imagine does it well". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  15. "2001 International Classification" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  16. "thoroughbredinternet/newsmore". www.thoroughbredinternet.com. Archived from the original on 2014-05-29.
  17. "Horatio Nelson". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  18. "Red Rock Canyon". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  19. "Imagine pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  20. "St. Marguerite – Family 4-n". Bloodlines.net. Retrieved 2012-08-17.