Big Invasion, Nobals Risk Win Streaks in Quick Call

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Big Invasion  will get his first taste of graded stakes competition July 17 when the son of Declaration of War  faces seven rivals in the $175,000 Quick Call Stakes Presented by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (G3T) at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf for 3-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Big Invasion has captured his last four starts, three of them in listed or black-type stakes.

"He's a really nice horse. He's won at Belmont Park, Churchill Downs, Gulfstream Park. He's top class," Clement said. "He's a 3-year-old turf sprinter and there are not many races for him so this was a good fit."

Big Invasion is exiting a 3 1/4-length victory in the seven-furlong Paradise Creek Stakes at Belmont, which came on the heels of stakes wins in the 5 1/2-furlong William Walker Stakes and five-furlong Texas Glitter Stakes.

His lone loss came in his Jan. 7 debut at Gulfstream when he finished second by two lengths.

Bred by John O'Meara out of the Curlin   mare Curls in Place, Big Invasion was purchased by Taproot Bloodstock, agent, for $72,000 from the Vinery Sales consignment at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Clement also entered Senbei , one of two main track only starters.

Patricia's Hope's Nobals  will also put a four-race winning streak on the line in the Quick Call while running with uncoupled stablemate One Timer .

A son of Noble Mission  trained by Larry Rivelli, he won a trio of stakes on synthetic surfaces before winning a 5 1/2-furlong allowance race on the turf June 5 at Churchill Downs.

"He's a good shipper and runs on any surface," Rivelli said. "He's just got faster and quicker since he's got older. He jumps out of there now a lot faster than he used to. The other day was a pretty good race at Churchill."

Overall, Nobals has captured six of nine starts.

One Timer has won four of five career starts and prevailed in the May 23 Tom Ridge Stakes on a synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs in his last start.

After winning his first three starts, including the five-furlong Speakeasy Stakes on turf at Santa Anita Park, he was ninth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) to end his 2-year-old campaign.

A Trappe Shot  gelding bred by St. Simon Place, One Timer is named after Rivelli's son, Dominick, who will be attending Miami (Ohio) University on a hockey scholarship.

"Usually, when you name them after someone they're never any good, but this one worked out," Rivelli said. "He's been all over. He went to the Breeders' Cup. He went to Canada (Woodbine). The two of them are almost identical horses as far as their running style and the surface they run on. I do want to get One Timer on the dirt at some point as he trains great on it."

Rebecca Hillen's Asymmetric  returns in the Quick Call after finishing second to Big Invasion in the Paradise Creek. A group 2 winner overseas, the son of Showcasing  led by six lengths after the opening quarter-mile before finishing second in his United States debut for trainer Wesley Ward. 

Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso's Run Curtis Run  has already faced both Big Invasion and Nobals. The New York-bred son of Summer Front   was third to Big Invasion in the William Walker and 12th in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

The field also includes two starters from trainer Juan Vazquez, Dance Code  (Honor Code  ) and Surprise Boss  (War Dancer  ). Vazquez is slated to begin a suspension from Pennsylvania stewards July 18 that will run through Jan. 26, 2025, due to the death of the 5-year-old mare Shining Colors.

Entries: Quick Call S. Presented by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (G3T)

Saratoga Race Course, Sunday, July 17, 2022, Race 8

• Grade IIIT
• 5 1/2f
• Turf
• $175,000
• 3 yo
• 5:05 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Sky and Sand (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Steven M. Asmussen	12/1
2	2Surprise Boss (NY)	Kendrick Carmouche	118	Juan C. Vazquez	10/1
3	3Run Curtis Run (NY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Michael J. Maker	12/1
4	4Nobals (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Larry Rivelli	9/2
5	5Dance Code (PA)	Abner Adorno	118	Juan C. Vazquez	30/1
6	6One Timer (KY)	Javier Castellano	122	Larry Rivelli	6/1
7	7Asymmetric (IRE)	Jamie P. Spencer	124	Wesley A. Ward	7/2
8	8Big Invasion (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Christophe Clement	6/5
9	9Senbei (NY)	Manuel Franco	122	Christophe Clement	1/1
10	10Hagler (FL)	Rider TBA	120	Rudy R. Rodriguez	10/1