Imperative gets ready for Gold Cup at Santa Anita

Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Imperative, recent winner of the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic, will make is next start in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 28.

The 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup at Santa Anita is a continuation of the Hollywood Gold Cup that was contested at Hollywood Park which closed in December.

Imperative was sent off as a 26-1 longshot in the Charles Town Classic on April 19 and caught and passed defending race winner Game On Dude to pull the upset.

“I wasn’t surprised that he won,” trainer George Papaprodromou said. “I always believed in my horse. I knew he was a good one. We flew him across the country and we proved it. It was a big race, but I was right about it, I guess.”

Owned by KM Racing Enterprise Inc., Imperative won his first stakes and pocketed $1 million. The 4-year-old has banked $1,134,620 with three wins in 15 career starts.

Imperative, at 26-1, was second to Blingo in the San Antonio on Feb. 8 when Game On Dude finished fifth as the 3-10 favorite. Game On Dude came back one month later to handily win the Santa Anita Handicap at 7-2 with Imperative finishing seventh as a 35-1 longshot.

Categorized in: Horses