Imagining waiting for United Nations

ELMONT, N.Y. – Conspicuous by his absence from Saturday’s Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont Park was Imagining, who was held out of that race to point for the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth Park on July 5.

Though Imagining has won several races at Belmont, including the Grade 1 Man o’ War in 2014, trainer Shug McGaughey said the horse is better on turf courses with tighter turns.

“He ran second at Hollywood, he’s run good at Gulfstream, he’s run good at Aqueduct,” McGaughey said. “I also think he likes a little time between his races.”

Imagining won the Grade 2 Pan American at Gulfstream on March 28 while coming off a seven-week layoff. If he waits until the United Nations, Imagining will have had eight weeks between starts.

In the U.N., Imagining is expected to take on defending turf champion Main Sequence, who won the U.N. last year. Main Sequence hasn’t run since finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Dubai Sheema Classic on March 28.

“It’ll be a shorter field with him in there,” McGaughey said. “He comes from back; he’s going to have to catch us.”