by Myra Lewyn

Augustin Stable’s Imagina (Chi) overhauled pacesetter Dr. Bloomer before the next to last fence and surged clear to a dominating victory in the $75,000 Carolina First Carolina Cup steeplechase on Saturday at Springdale Race Course in Camden, South Carolina.

The six-year-old Great Regent mare, who won by nine lengths, is believed to be the first female to register a win in the 76-year-history of the prestigious race, the first leg of the Steeplechase Triple Crown for novice jumpers.

The Carolina Cup is considered a Grade 2 race by the National Steeplechase Association.

Trained by Sanna Hendriks, Imagina had no trouble handling her four opponents despite a driving rainstorm and steadily dropping temperatures in the 2 1/8-mile test over ten fences.

Imagina stalked from fourth under jockey Jody Petty as Dr. Bloomer set the tempo, but the trip began to sap his stamina on the final run down the backside. Imagina advanced to second at the eighth fence, easily reeled in Dr. Bloomer, and surged clear. She opened a commanding lead and sailed willingly over the ninth and final fence with little urging from Petty.

Imagina covered the distance in 4:06.70.

Petty said Imagina was a determined competitor.

“She loves to run down horses, and you can just feel her see horses and run them down,” he said. “She loves to see horses in front of her and she loves to just conquer them. She sees what she wants to do and she just reaches for it. That really worked today because of how the race set up.”

Red Letter Day rallied late for second, and Swimming River finished third.

Imagina was winless in four hurdle starts in 2006, her first year in the United States after winning two of seven starts in her native Chile. She won three of eight starts over the jumps last year, including a maiden race at Springdale. She followed up with stakes scores at Fair Hill, Maryland, and Far Hills, New Jersey.

Bred by Haras Santa Marta, Imagina is out of the Lord Florey mare Lujuriosa, a half sister to Chilean group winners Wild Storm (Chi) and L’Eclipse.

The Steeplechase Triple Crown continues at Middleburg, Virginia with the $75,000 Temple Gwathmey on April 19, and concludes with the $75,000 National Hunt Cup at Radnor, Pennsylvania on May 17.

Myra Lewyn is Thoroughbred Times daily news editor