John Manni buys out partner to gain sole ownership of Imperative

ARCADIA, Calif.- Imperative, the former $50,000 claimer who has earned nearly $2 million, has been fully acquired by John Manni’s JK Racing.

Former owner Kenji Morinaga said on Sunday that he sold his share to Manni after Imperative finished fourth in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic in West Virginia on April 23. Morinaga claimed Imperative for $50,000 in December 2013 and raced him on his own until earlier this year when Manni became a partner.

A 6-year-old gelding by Bernardini, Imperative has won 3 of 31 starts and earned $1,941,620. Morinaga did not disclose the purchase price paid by Manni, but said “it was a fair amount.”

Imperative has not started since the Charles Town Classic. Trained by Richard Baltas, Imperative is a candidate for the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 25.

Other candidates for the Grade 1 Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles are Bal a Bali, Follow Me Crev, Hard Aces, Hoppertunity, Lieutenant Colonel, Melatonin, Second Summer, Si Sage, and Win the Space.

Melatonin won the Santa Anita Handicap in March and was second in the Oaklawn Handicap in April. Second Summer and Hard Aces were first and second in the Californian Stakes on May 22. Hoppertunity was third in the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on March 26.