Decorated Invader, Gufo to Vie in Saratoga Derby

The New York Racing Association's Turf Trinity was designed to partially emulate the Triple Crown at distances matching those of the famous dirt series for 3-year-olds. So it's apropos that in a COVID-19-altered year, the race order of the Turf Trinity has been reshuffled just like the Triple Crown sequence.

Up first is the Aug. 15 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes, last year's second leg that became the leadoff race when the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) was not run this spring during a meet at Belmont Park delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The remaining two legs, the Belmont Derby and Jockey Club Derby, are expected to be run later in the year. 

Though Saturday's $500,000 race is half the value of last year's inaugural running, the 1 3/16-mile grass contest again drew some of the country's elite sophomore turf runners, led by graded winners Decorated Invader, Field Pass, and Gufo. The race is not eligible to become graded until 2021.

Decorated Invader, who won the Summer Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine at 2 before a wide fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Presented by Coolmore America (G1T) at Santa Anita Park, is perfect in three starts at 3. He opened with a victory in the Cutler Bay Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 28, followed by a 4 3/4-length score in the Pennine Ridge Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park June 20 and a victory in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) July 18 early in the Saratoga Race Course meet.

In the latter race, he ran down a loose-on-the-lead Get Smokin on his way to winning by 1 1/4 lengths under Joel Rosario. He is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, William Freeman, William Sandbrook, and Cheryl Manning.

"I'm very happy with how he's been training. He looks great," trainer Christophe Clement said.

Get Smokin and Domestic Spending, who rallied to grab third, face him again. 

Gufo, riding a four-race winning streak for owner Otter Bend Stables, meets his stablemate for the first time Saturday. He rallied to win the Kent Stakes (G3T) at Delaware Park July 4. A half brother to millionaire Hogy (by Offlee Wild), Gufo is by Declaration of War, as is Decorated Invader.

"The further, the better for him," Clement said. "He's a little different kind of horse. He always shows less speed in his races than Decorated Invader, but he has a really good turn of foot."

Hall of Famer John Velazquez has picked up the mount.

Field Pass, 1-for-6 in 2019, has improved at 3, winning the Dania Beach Stakes, Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), Audubon Stakes, and Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes (G3T) for owner Three Diamonds Farm and trainer Mike Maker. His victory in the Transylvania was an all-out effort, a nose decision.

Colonel Liam is untested in a stakes race but ran like a colt of high quality when he won his turf debut July 22 in an allowance at Saratoga, dashing 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf course in 1:40.51, the fastest time on grass at the distance this meet. He then worked a bullet five furlongs Aug. 8 in 1:00.87 on turf.

"He was the only 3-year-old in that race," Pletcher said of the first-level allowance. "It was really competitive and he handled it well, so I was happy with that. I was also happy with the way he breezed back, and it seems like we found what we were looking for putting him on the turf."

Robert and Lawana Low own the 3-year-old son of Liam's Map , whom bloodstock agent Jacob West purchased for his owners for $1.2 million from the Wavertree Stables consignment at the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Colonel Liam was bred in Kentucky by Phillips Racing Partnership out of the Bernardini  mare Amazement. The colt's second dam is Wonder Again, a multiple grade 1-winning turf mare.

NBC will offer live coverage of the Saratoga Derby from 5-6 p.m. ET during a telecast that will also feature the Alabama Stakes (G1).

Entries: Saratoga Derby Invitational S.

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 15, 2020, Race 8

• STK
• 1 3/16m
• Turf
• $500,000
• 3 yo
• 5:07 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Bama Breeze (KY)	Manuel Franco	122	George R. Arnold, II	15/1
2	2Decorated Invader (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Christophe Clement	7/5
3	3No Word (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Todd A. Pletcher	15/1
4	4Domestic Spending (GB)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Chad C. Brown	6/1
5	5Gufo (KY)	John R. Velazquez	122	Christophe Clement	9/2
6	6Colonel Liam (KY)	Javier Castellano	122	Todd A. Pletcher	7/2
7	7Field Pass (MD)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Michael J. Maker	6/1
8	8Get Smokin (KY)	Luis Saez	122	Thomas M. Bush	15/1