Imagine Wins Epsom Oaks; Mutafaweq Takes Coronation Cup

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She also gives trainer Aidan O'Brien a chance for a classic daily double over the weekend. He sends out Galileo in Saturday's Epsom Derby.

Under Michael Kinane, Imagine came from near the back of the group in the Oaks, a sweeping move carrying her to a 1 1/4 length victory over Flight of Fancy and Relish the Thought.

Imagine, out of the Master Derby mare Doff the Derby, drew most of the late money, going postward as the 3-1 favorite. She races for Sue Magnier.

"I thought they might not go a good pace, but they went plenty," Kinane told The Sporting Life after the race. "I found myself round a few back markers I really didn't want to be, and she didn't come home down the hill as well as you'd want. But I just let her do it in her own time, and once we straightened up I was always going to win."

Mutafaweq led all the way, and held on in a stirring stretch drive to just win the Coronation Cup (gr. I) at Epsom on Friday. The 5-year-old horse, by Silver Hawk--The Caretaker, by Caerleon, gallantly stuck out his neck under Frankie Dettori to defeat Wellbeing by a short head.

Owned by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin and trained by Saaed bin Suroor, Mutafaweq made all the early running in the 1 1/2 mile race, looking like he might just gallop home easily. But, Wellbeing and favored Millenary took up the chase and made a thrilling race out of it. Wellbeing ran strongly to the finish while Millenary was one-paced and finished third.

In just a six-horse field, Ekraar ran fourth, the filly Petrushka finished a disappointing fifth, and Chimes at Midnight was sixth.

"It didn't look like there was going to be much pace and this horse loves firm ground, so I thought we might nick a couple of lengths on the home turn," Dettori told the Sporting Life. "In the straight, he was giving me everything, and although Richard Quinn (aboard Wellbeing) gave me a real battle, I knew it would take a good one to get by."