Normandy Invasion Retired From Racing
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Normandy Invasion prior to the 2013 Kentucky Derby.
Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farm's Normandy Invasion, a grade I-placed son of leading sire Tapit , has been retired from racing. The 5-year-old bay horse went 2-5-0 from 12 starts and earned $551,900.
The announcement came via the farm's Facebook page:
"After fracturing a sesamoid, we were able to make a short-lived comeback, but unfortunately the suspensory which attaches to the sesamoid is at risk of coming loose. We are in the process of looking for him a home at stud. He had the talent, which he proved in a narrow second in a (grade I), a very good run in the Kentucky Derby (which some deemed was the best run by any in the field), and a 1 3/4 Ragozin number recorded in 2015. He also has the looks. Though he's a little thin upon arrival off the track, you can see in my amateur photo what a magnificent and elegant specimen he is. Just gorgeous."
Out of Boston Lady, by Boston Harbor, Normandy Invasion was bred in Kentucky by William Betz, Dr. Charles Kidder, Gainesway, Brian Graves, D.J. Stable, and Nancy Cole. He RNA'd at $145,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale and sold for $230,000 the following year at the Keeneland April sale.
He broke his maiden by 9 1/4 lengths in his second start, then was second, beaten a nose in the 2012 Remsen Stakes (gr. II) at 2 while being trained by Chad Brown.
At 3 he was second to Verrazano in the nine-furlong Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I), then ran fourth, beaten 31/2 lengths by Orb in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) as the fifth choice at 9-1.
He later developed a deep abscess in a front hoof and was sidelined for the remainder of his 3-year-old campaign. He returned at 4 with a track-record-setting mile in 1:33.13 at Gulfstream Park. He later placed in the New Orleans Handicap (gr. II), then ran 10th in Belmont Park's Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I).
Away from the races for more than a year because of a fractured right front sesamoid, he returned July 1 at Delaware Park with trainer Larry Jones. He ran second twice at Delaware Park and finished his racing career with a seventh-place finish Aug. 8 in the grade I Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.