Invader Earns First Stakes Win in John Battaglia
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Photo: Coady Photography
Invader takes the John Battaglia Memorial by 6 1/4 lengths at Turfway Park
Invader stole the show in the $95,150 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes Feb. 14 at Turfway Park, adding to his dam's list of stakes winners.
Bred in Kentucky by Orpendale, Chelston, and Wynatt, Invader is the third stakes winner from three foals by War Front produced from the Galileo mare Say. His full brothers are 2018 Summer Stakes (G1T) winner Fog of War and Newmarket listed stakes winner Naval Intelligence.
Trained by Wesley Ward for owners Cheyenne Stables, Grandview Equine, and LNJ Foxwoods, Invader ran off to a 6 1/4-length lead in the 1 1/16-mile test and stopped the clock in 1:45.92 on the fast all-weather track.
Out of the gate, Invader sat off the pace with jockey Albin Jimenez aboard, swapping places for second and third with Ryan's Cat as the pair tracked High Holy, who went straight to the lead. Off as the 9-5 favorite, High Holy tugged his rider through the early stages of the race, setting easy fractions of :24.45 and :48.71 for a half-mile.
With little change to the order up front, the three began to pull away from the rest of the field near the top of the turn for home. Midway through the turn, Ryan's Cat began to slow and left Invader on almost even terms with High Holy. Coming into the stretch, Invader inched passed the leader and continued to open up as he neared the wire.
High Holy took second by four lengths over Toma Todo.
Invader is now 2-for-2 at Turfway Park and has a record of 2-0-1 from six starts. In his previous start, he romped by 12 3/4 lengths in a one-mile maiden special weight Dec. 4.
Invader was a $500,000 purchase by Cromwell Bloodstock at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Gainesway.
Video: John Battaglia Memorial S. (BT)
Two races later, Ward swept the day's stakes at Turfway when his charge Karak opened in the stretch after leading throughout the 6 1/2-furlong Cincinnati Trophy Stakes to trounce her opponents by 8 1/2 lengths.
The Karakontie filly, owned by Breeze Easy and ridden by Gerardo Corrales, won the Aug. 3 Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park before finishing fourth in the Matron Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park and third in the Nov. 10 Stewart Manor Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack.