Decorated Invader Impresses in Summer Stakes Victory
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Photo: Michael Burns
Decorated Invader rallies to win the Summer Stakes at Woodbine
West Point Thoroughbreds, William Freeman, and William Sandbrook's Decorated Invader came from off the pace and pulled away to a clear lead under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. in the CA$251,300 (US$189,103) Summer Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine while making his third start for trainer Christophe Clement.
The Summer Stakes is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" challenge race for the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), and Clement said the 2-year-old son of Declaration of War will target the test at Santa Anita Park.
Decorated Invader didn't have the smoothest of starts in the one-mile Summer Stakes, getting away second to last of 10 as Keep On Truckin took up position in front early on. However, Keep On Truckin lost position dramatically heading down the backstretch as Mystic Lancealot and Cadet Connelly ranged up beside the leader on the outside.
Cadet Connelly took over the lead and posted half-mile fractions of :24.26 and :48.43, while Decorated Invader and Ortiz raced in seventh. Angled to the outside, the pair began to make steady progress at the top of the turn. Coming into the stretch, Cadet Connelly still led the way but Decorated Invader began to roll on the outside and took over within a furlong of the finish to complete the mile in 1:36.34 on a yielding turf course, winning by 1 3/4 lengths.
"I know he broke a touch poorly but with the rain we had and everything, I was pretty comfortable he was moving well and was happy where he was," said Clement's assistant trainer Christophe Lorieul. "We were just very confident with our ride. He was just biding his time, and he showed up today."
Off as the 2-1 co-favorite with Mystic Lancealot, Decorated Invader paid $6.80, $4 and $3 across the board, while Cadet Connelly held for second to pay $55.20 and $17.20 at odds of 109-1. Vitalogy closed well for third to return $4.50 to show.
"We talked about (the Breeders' Cup) beforehand," Lorieul said. "It would be the obvious next target for him. Today was the big test, and he completed it so we're very happy for the partnership of West Point."
Decorated Invader just missed in his July 13 debut at Saratoga Race Course, closing strongly to finish second in a 1 1/16-mile turf race. A month later, the Kentucky-bred broke his maiden via a 3 1/4-length victory, also at 1 1/16-miles on the grass at the Spa.
"He's only had three races so I think he's getting better and better," Ortiz said. "Today, I really liked the way he did it. He was floating in a little bit in the stretch. He always does, but hopefully he learns and if he just keeps a little more straight in the stretch that would be great. He keeps learning."
Bred by Redmon Farm, Decorated Invader is out of the Arch mare Gamely Girl, who won her only start and produced stakes winner and producer Jubliant Girl. West Point Thoroughbreds paid $200,000 for the colt from the Indian Creek consignment to the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.