Normandy Invasion Looks Good in Return Win
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Normandy Invasion, last seen finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), returned in good style with a lopsided victory in an allowance optional claiming race Feb. 22 at Gulfstream Park .
Sent off at odds of 1-5 with Javier Castellano aboard in the one-mile test for older horses, Normandy Invasion seized the lead near the quarter pole with a wide rally and left his five rivals gasping for air. He won by 7 3/4 lengths in a time of 1:34.78 on a fast track.
Trained by Chad Brown for Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms, the winning 4-year-old son of Tapit scored for the first time since routing a maiden field by 9 1/4 lengths going a mile at Aqueduct Racetrack in November 2012. He was second in the Remsen Stakes (gr. II) to conclude his 2-year-old campaign, and also second in last spring's Wood Memorial (gr. I).
In last year's Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Normandy Invasion overcame a poor start to lead narrowly in the stretch. He weakened late to finish fourth, 3 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Orb .
Kept out of the remaining jewels in the Triple Crown, he developed a deep abscess in a front hoof during the summer and was sidelined for the year. Normandy Invasion had been working solidly at Palm Meadows Training Center since mid-December.
Normandy Invasion had to overcome the rail post in his comeback race and rated in fourth for the opening half mile as outsider Risk Factor showed the way over Chee and Morgan's Guerrilla through fractions of :24.50 and :46.61.
Castellano angled Normandy Invasion four wide rounding the turn to reach the quarter pole in front by half a length while completing six furlongs in 1:10.31. The winner drew off while in hand through the lane, completing the final quarter in :24.47.
Porter paid $230,000 at the 2012 Keeneland April sale of 2-year-olds for the bay colt bred in Kentucky by Betz/Kidder/Gainesway/Graves/D. J. Stable/Cole. Normandy Invasion is out of the Boston Harbor mare Boston Lady, .
With two wins and two seconds in seven career starts, Normandy Invasion has earned $424,390.
Normandy Invasion paid $2.40, $2.20, and $2.10 across the board. Chee held second by 1 3/4 lengths at 25-1, returning $6.60 and $4.80 and completing a $16.20 exacta. Morgan's Guerrilla paid $3.20 to show.