Decorated Invader Wins Going Away in Hall of Fame
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Decorated Invader wins the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
Decorated Invader's victory in the $145,500 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) left trainer Christophe Clement gushing July 18 at Saratoga Race Course. Despite hitting the gate at the start, the 3-year-old Declaration of War colt stalked the pace and showed a late surge to win the nine furlongs on the inner turf by 1 1/4 lengths.
It was his third win in as many starts this season.
"He's a top-class horse and has been since day one for me. I love him. I love the way he trains. I love the way he races," Clement said. "It's a different scenario every time we run him, but the final outcome is the same. That's what good horses do, they win. They win more often than the others."
West Point Thoroughbreds, William Freeman, William Sandbrook, and Cheryl Manning's Decorated Invader broke from the outside post of five and bounced back from hitting the outside of the gate to sit second under Joel Rosario. Get Smokin showed the way and drew off to a seven-length lead to run the first quarter-mile in :23.85, then ran splits of :48.98 and 1:13.52.
Get Smokin held the lead into the first part of the homestretch, but Decorated Invader chipped away at it as the field ran past the grandstand. Decorated Invader got his head in front to run a mile in 1:37.57, then found another gear late and spurted clear. The final time was 1:49.29 on firm turf.
"I thought he looked better in the last sixteenth of a mile than he did before that. He actually won going away at the end," Clement said.
Get Smokin held for second by a nose as Domestic Spending rallied from last to finish third. Moon Over Miami and Ever Dangerous completed the order of finish.
Decorated Invader paid $2.80 for a $2 win bet.
"When I got to the horse on the lead turning for home, he kept running a little bit," Rosario said. "(Get Smokin) had been all alone on the lead, but I could feel I had a lot of horse underneath me and he was moving much the best.
"I thought I would be a little closer, but the other horse was off the rail and in the middle of the track. I followed him for a little bit, but I ended up letting my horse be comfortable. I took my time and made my move when it was the right time to move."
Clement did not rule out a go in the Aug. 15 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes.
"That is one of the targets. We'll have to see how he comes out of this and see how he trains, but that's a logical spot at the moment," the trainer said.
Decorated Invader was bred in Kentucky by Redmon Farm. He is out of the Arch mare Gamely Girl, also the dam of stakes winner Jubliant Girl and stakes-placed Cabral. She delivered her first registered foal since Decorated Invader April 7—a Distorted Humor filly named Casamance.
West Point, with Lane's End Bloodstock as agent, purchased Decorated Invader for $200,000 from Indian Creek's consignment to the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The colt has five wins—including the 2019 Summer Stakes (G1T) and this year's Cutler Bay and Pennine Ridge (G2T) stakes—and a second from seven starts. He has earned $453,035.