imaufo
09-02-2007, 03:36
Invasor (b. August 3rd, 2002) is a thoroughbred racehorse bred in Argentina by Haras Clausan. The winner of the 2005 Triple Crown in Uruguay, he was later purchased by Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum who paid approximately USD 1.4 million for the horse. His biggest win was the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic, in which he defeated heavily favored Bernardini and highly fancied Lava Man. He went on to be named the U.S. Horse of the Year and lead the year-end World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings in 2006.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasor_(horse)
No Stopping Invasor In Donn Handicap
February 4, 2007
Horse of the Year Invasor, all but stopped when hemmed in on the inside leaving the final turn of Saturday's $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I), would not be denied victory after gathering himself under Fernando Jara and rallying to win at Gulfstream Park Saturday.
http://www.horseracingmagazine.com/images/3(49).jpg
“He has a really big heart," Jara said. "I wasn’t worried. The horse found his own space. I had a lot of horse to go on and a lot of horse left at the end.”
The 5-year-old Argentine-bred Invasor soared past the $4 million mark in earnings for owner Shadwell Stable with his fifth successive grade I triumph since arriving in the United States last spring.
The Donn is to be used by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin as a prep for the $6 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) next month.
Racing at the back of the eight-horse field in the 1 1/8-mile Donn, Invasor rallied smartly on the far turn Saturday for Jara but ran out of room as the pacesetter Barcola began to back up. The champion tried to angle off the rail a bit but was blocked and Jara was forced to check severely to avoid clipping heels. As they moved into the stretch Chatain and Hesanoldsalt surged to the front on the outside. Invasor was able to get a little room in upper stretch and squeezed through along the inside of Barcola. He showed a tremendous amount of courage after that, digging in through the stretch run to win going away by two lengths. The final time for the 1 1/8-mile event was 1:48 4/5 on a track that favored inside speed for most of the day.
"He showed what a superior horse he is," McLaughlin marveled. "He finds a way to win every time. I was worried when Fernando came up the inside, because when you’re 1-to-5, everybody knows who you are, and nobody wants to open the door for you. Even though it was my brother-in-law's horse (Barcola, Mark Hennig), it all worked out. It was scary, but he showed why he was Horse of the Year.
"I thought he would be off the pace today because on this speed-favoring track, the outside horses would gun for the front. We’ll leave for Dubai on March 15. It’s going to be exciting. This horse wants the mile-and-a-quarter, and will be at equal weights with Discreet Cat this year.”
Invasor's only loss came to Discreet Cat in the UAE Derby (UAE-II) last March.
The 35-1 shot Barcola led the field through lively fractions of :22 4/5, :46 2/5 and 1:10 2/5.
Hesanoldsalt, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, got second at odds of 16-1 by a head over A.P. Arrow, who edged Hal's Hope (gr. III) winner Chatain by one-half length for third.
Invasor banked $300,000 for his 10th win in 11 lifetime starts and has earned $4,204,070. The son of Candy Stripes won the Pimlico Special, Suburban and Whitney handicaps and the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge -- all grade I victories -- to win Eclipse Awards as the nation's top performer and leading older horse.
Sent off at odds of 2-5, Invasor paid $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10. Hesanoldsalt, coming off an optional allowance/claiming race at Gulfstream Park at nine furlongs Jan. 12 for trainer Nick Zito, returned $5.80 and $2.10, completing a $20.20 exacta.
"He’s (Hesanoldsalt) a gutsy horse," Zito said. "I’m very proud of him running second to the Horse of the Year. He gives a good effort every time. As far as his next start goes, we’ll play it by ear. He loves Gulfstream, so it will most likely be something here.”
http://www.horseracingmagazine.com/ManageArticle.asp?C=120&A=17361
Beginnings
A black-pointed bay with a small white star, Invasor was born in Argentina, sired by the famous Candy Stripes out of the Interprete mare Quendom. He was bought as a 2-year-old by brothers Juan Luis and Luis Alberto Vio Bado, and Pablo Hernandez, three Uruguayans who brought him to Uruguay.
Now that the horse is no longer his (the decision to sell was, he says, agonizing), Pablo Hernandez remembers the day he and the two brothers first saw Invasor. "We had flown to Argentina and were scheduled to take a small plane to La Biznaga Farm, where we were going to look at horses. But the plane had engine failure and the trip was canceled. Our friend, Miguel Ezcurra, from Bullrich Auctioneers, took us by car to visit some smaller farms near Buenos Aires. After having seen some 80 colts and fillies at several farms, we went to Clausan Farm in Areco, a province of Buenos Aires, and that's where we met Invasor. Immediately, it was as if we had been hit with Cupid's arrow. We just fell in love with him." Sandro Mizeroqui, owner of Clausan Farm (now re-named Haras Santa Ines), said the horse would cost them $25,000. The three Uruguayans countered with $18,000. They all settled for $20,000. Hernandez said, "We purchased him and exported him to Maronas Racetrack in Uruguay. Our lucky strike had begun."
Trained by Anibal San Martin, Invasor was ridden by Gustavo Duarte, one of Uruguay's leading jockeys. Duarte called Invasor the best horse he's ever ridden.
Invasor broke his maiden in his debut in Maroñas in late February of 2005, winning a 5½ furlong maiden race by 6¾ lengths, but then fractured his right hind sesamoid and required surgery. He had to wait until August to reappear, winning the "Ensayo" Stakes over 7½ furlongs by 2½ lengths.
Triple Crown
Invasor won the first leg of the Uruguayan Triple Crown, the one mile Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos run on September 10th, by 5¾ lengths under heavy rain on a muddy track. One month later, on October 9, he won the 2000 m (1¼ mile) Gran Premio Jockey Club by 3½ lengths, and completed the sweep winning the Gran Premio Nacional by 6½ lengths. In all three races, the horse Potri Flash came second. With this sweep, Invasor became a favorite of the public, and a favorite to win Uruguay's most important race, the championship Gran Premio Internacional Jose Pedro Ramirez, run every January 6th in Maroñas.
His total earnings for taking the Triple Crown amounted to $113,866.
The sale
Invasor was sold after winning the Uruguayan Triple Crown to Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who paid, as said, around U$S 1,400,000 to have the horse run for Shadwell Stable. Considering how much the horse could win in Uruguay, the sheik's offer was too hard to turn down, although one Vio Brado brother was very reluctant. Still, the deal was made, and Invasor was flown into the state of Florida, southernmost of the US states, to be trained by Kiaran McLaughlin in the Palm Meadows Training Center. There the horse prepared for his next race, the UAE Derby.
Present
After training in Florida, Invasor was sent to Dubai to compete in the UAE Derby, running into traffic problems, and finishing fourth, but coming on again to end up only a half length behind the 3rd and 2nd horses, albeit far from the winner, Discreet Cat (owned by the competing Godolphin Stables). Less than two months later, he came back to win the Grade I Pimlico Special by 1¼ lengths over Wanderin Boy, after stalking the leader through most of the race. On July 1st, Invasor proved that his Pimlico Special win was no fluke by soundly winning the Grade I Suburban Handicap by 4 lengths at Belmont Park. On August 6, he won his third straight Grade I race, holding off a hard-charging Sun King to win a photo finish in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga. Invasor was pointed to the Jockey Club Gold Cup but developed a fever a week prior to the race, so his trainer decided to skip it and point him to the Breeders' Cup Classic to be run in November, 2006.
Though he is now owned by a sheik and races in the United States, he is Uruguay's national hero. In Uruguay, whenever Invasor runs, people flock to their nearest simulcast provider. "There was great anticipation here for the Jockey Club Gold Cup," said Pablo Roig, editor of Uruguay Turf Line. "Here in Montevideo, we follow all his races through the OTB simulcasts, and the people are enjoying all his victories."
"In Uruguay, soccer is our main sport," said Luis Costa Baleta, a horse owner from a long-time Uruguayan racing family. "Whenever the national team plays, the entire country stops to watch the match. Since Invasor has gone to the United States, every time he runs, all the simulcast halls are crowded with people who come to see him and bet on him. They shout and cheer for him as if Uruguay was playing in the finals of the World Cup. They treat the horse as if he was still their own. No one can imagine what it's like. He's become a national hero."
The racing journalist and writer Miguel Aguirre Bayley wrote: "In my opinion, Invasor excelled because of his refined qualities, his endurance, and his outstanding intelligence. Invasor may well become one of the best racehorses in the history of the American Turf."
On February 3rd, 2007, Invasor won his fifth successive Grade I victory in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park. Coming from off the pace, he was virtually stopped when Barcola, the long-shot pacesetter, began backing up. Under jockey Fernando Jara, Invasor was forced to check. Trying to angle off the rail he was still blocked, almost clipping heels with Barcola. Coming into the stretch, Invasor and Jara found the hole they needed and squeezed through, achieving a two length victory over Hesanoldsalt ridden by Rafael Bejarano.
To date (February 3, 2007), Invasor has run eleven times and won ten. The one race he lost, he finished fourth. His career earnings, so far, amount to $4,204,070
Breeders' Cup
On November 4, 2006 Invasor, ridden by Fernando Jara, raced in the Breeders' Cup Classic. The field included favored Bernardini, second favorite Lava Man, and European three-year-old champion George Washington. Invasor, under the guidance of the 18-year-old jockey Jara, passed Bernardini in the home stretch, defeating Bernardini by a length. This win essentially secured the Eclipse Awards for Older Male Horse and Horse of the Year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasor_(horse)
No Stopping Invasor In Donn Handicap
February 4, 2007
Horse of the Year Invasor, all but stopped when hemmed in on the inside leaving the final turn of Saturday's $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I), would not be denied victory after gathering himself under Fernando Jara and rallying to win at Gulfstream Park Saturday.
http://www.horseracingmagazine.com/images/3(49).jpg
“He has a really big heart," Jara said. "I wasn’t worried. The horse found his own space. I had a lot of horse to go on and a lot of horse left at the end.”
The 5-year-old Argentine-bred Invasor soared past the $4 million mark in earnings for owner Shadwell Stable with his fifth successive grade I triumph since arriving in the United States last spring.
The Donn is to be used by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin as a prep for the $6 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) next month.
Racing at the back of the eight-horse field in the 1 1/8-mile Donn, Invasor rallied smartly on the far turn Saturday for Jara but ran out of room as the pacesetter Barcola began to back up. The champion tried to angle off the rail a bit but was blocked and Jara was forced to check severely to avoid clipping heels. As they moved into the stretch Chatain and Hesanoldsalt surged to the front on the outside. Invasor was able to get a little room in upper stretch and squeezed through along the inside of Barcola. He showed a tremendous amount of courage after that, digging in through the stretch run to win going away by two lengths. The final time for the 1 1/8-mile event was 1:48 4/5 on a track that favored inside speed for most of the day.
"He showed what a superior horse he is," McLaughlin marveled. "He finds a way to win every time. I was worried when Fernando came up the inside, because when you’re 1-to-5, everybody knows who you are, and nobody wants to open the door for you. Even though it was my brother-in-law's horse (Barcola, Mark Hennig), it all worked out. It was scary, but he showed why he was Horse of the Year.
"I thought he would be off the pace today because on this speed-favoring track, the outside horses would gun for the front. We’ll leave for Dubai on March 15. It’s going to be exciting. This horse wants the mile-and-a-quarter, and will be at equal weights with Discreet Cat this year.”
Invasor's only loss came to Discreet Cat in the UAE Derby (UAE-II) last March.
The 35-1 shot Barcola led the field through lively fractions of :22 4/5, :46 2/5 and 1:10 2/5.
Hesanoldsalt, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, got second at odds of 16-1 by a head over A.P. Arrow, who edged Hal's Hope (gr. III) winner Chatain by one-half length for third.
Invasor banked $300,000 for his 10th win in 11 lifetime starts and has earned $4,204,070. The son of Candy Stripes won the Pimlico Special, Suburban and Whitney handicaps and the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge -- all grade I victories -- to win Eclipse Awards as the nation's top performer and leading older horse.
Sent off at odds of 2-5, Invasor paid $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10. Hesanoldsalt, coming off an optional allowance/claiming race at Gulfstream Park at nine furlongs Jan. 12 for trainer Nick Zito, returned $5.80 and $2.10, completing a $20.20 exacta.
"He’s (Hesanoldsalt) a gutsy horse," Zito said. "I’m very proud of him running second to the Horse of the Year. He gives a good effort every time. As far as his next start goes, we’ll play it by ear. He loves Gulfstream, so it will most likely be something here.”
http://www.horseracingmagazine.com/ManageArticle.asp?C=120&A=17361
Beginnings
A black-pointed bay with a small white star, Invasor was born in Argentina, sired by the famous Candy Stripes out of the Interprete mare Quendom. He was bought as a 2-year-old by brothers Juan Luis and Luis Alberto Vio Bado, and Pablo Hernandez, three Uruguayans who brought him to Uruguay.
Now that the horse is no longer his (the decision to sell was, he says, agonizing), Pablo Hernandez remembers the day he and the two brothers first saw Invasor. "We had flown to Argentina and were scheduled to take a small plane to La Biznaga Farm, where we were going to look at horses. But the plane had engine failure and the trip was canceled. Our friend, Miguel Ezcurra, from Bullrich Auctioneers, took us by car to visit some smaller farms near Buenos Aires. After having seen some 80 colts and fillies at several farms, we went to Clausan Farm in Areco, a province of Buenos Aires, and that's where we met Invasor. Immediately, it was as if we had been hit with Cupid's arrow. We just fell in love with him." Sandro Mizeroqui, owner of Clausan Farm (now re-named Haras Santa Ines), said the horse would cost them $25,000. The three Uruguayans countered with $18,000. They all settled for $20,000. Hernandez said, "We purchased him and exported him to Maronas Racetrack in Uruguay. Our lucky strike had begun."
Trained by Anibal San Martin, Invasor was ridden by Gustavo Duarte, one of Uruguay's leading jockeys. Duarte called Invasor the best horse he's ever ridden.
Invasor broke his maiden in his debut in Maroñas in late February of 2005, winning a 5½ furlong maiden race by 6¾ lengths, but then fractured his right hind sesamoid and required surgery. He had to wait until August to reappear, winning the "Ensayo" Stakes over 7½ furlongs by 2½ lengths.
Triple Crown
Invasor won the first leg of the Uruguayan Triple Crown, the one mile Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos run on September 10th, by 5¾ lengths under heavy rain on a muddy track. One month later, on October 9, he won the 2000 m (1¼ mile) Gran Premio Jockey Club by 3½ lengths, and completed the sweep winning the Gran Premio Nacional by 6½ lengths. In all three races, the horse Potri Flash came second. With this sweep, Invasor became a favorite of the public, and a favorite to win Uruguay's most important race, the championship Gran Premio Internacional Jose Pedro Ramirez, run every January 6th in Maroñas.
His total earnings for taking the Triple Crown amounted to $113,866.
The sale
Invasor was sold after winning the Uruguayan Triple Crown to Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who paid, as said, around U$S 1,400,000 to have the horse run for Shadwell Stable. Considering how much the horse could win in Uruguay, the sheik's offer was too hard to turn down, although one Vio Brado brother was very reluctant. Still, the deal was made, and Invasor was flown into the state of Florida, southernmost of the US states, to be trained by Kiaran McLaughlin in the Palm Meadows Training Center. There the horse prepared for his next race, the UAE Derby.
Present
After training in Florida, Invasor was sent to Dubai to compete in the UAE Derby, running into traffic problems, and finishing fourth, but coming on again to end up only a half length behind the 3rd and 2nd horses, albeit far from the winner, Discreet Cat (owned by the competing Godolphin Stables). Less than two months later, he came back to win the Grade I Pimlico Special by 1¼ lengths over Wanderin Boy, after stalking the leader through most of the race. On July 1st, Invasor proved that his Pimlico Special win was no fluke by soundly winning the Grade I Suburban Handicap by 4 lengths at Belmont Park. On August 6, he won his third straight Grade I race, holding off a hard-charging Sun King to win a photo finish in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga. Invasor was pointed to the Jockey Club Gold Cup but developed a fever a week prior to the race, so his trainer decided to skip it and point him to the Breeders' Cup Classic to be run in November, 2006.
Though he is now owned by a sheik and races in the United States, he is Uruguay's national hero. In Uruguay, whenever Invasor runs, people flock to their nearest simulcast provider. "There was great anticipation here for the Jockey Club Gold Cup," said Pablo Roig, editor of Uruguay Turf Line. "Here in Montevideo, we follow all his races through the OTB simulcasts, and the people are enjoying all his victories."
"In Uruguay, soccer is our main sport," said Luis Costa Baleta, a horse owner from a long-time Uruguayan racing family. "Whenever the national team plays, the entire country stops to watch the match. Since Invasor has gone to the United States, every time he runs, all the simulcast halls are crowded with people who come to see him and bet on him. They shout and cheer for him as if Uruguay was playing in the finals of the World Cup. They treat the horse as if he was still their own. No one can imagine what it's like. He's become a national hero."
The racing journalist and writer Miguel Aguirre Bayley wrote: "In my opinion, Invasor excelled because of his refined qualities, his endurance, and his outstanding intelligence. Invasor may well become one of the best racehorses in the history of the American Turf."
On February 3rd, 2007, Invasor won his fifth successive Grade I victory in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park. Coming from off the pace, he was virtually stopped when Barcola, the long-shot pacesetter, began backing up. Under jockey Fernando Jara, Invasor was forced to check. Trying to angle off the rail he was still blocked, almost clipping heels with Barcola. Coming into the stretch, Invasor and Jara found the hole they needed and squeezed through, achieving a two length victory over Hesanoldsalt ridden by Rafael Bejarano.
To date (February 3, 2007), Invasor has run eleven times and won ten. The one race he lost, he finished fourth. His career earnings, so far, amount to $4,204,070
Breeders' Cup
On November 4, 2006 Invasor, ridden by Fernando Jara, raced in the Breeders' Cup Classic. The field included favored Bernardini, second favorite Lava Man, and European three-year-old champion George Washington. Invasor, under the guidance of the 18-year-old jockey Jara, passed Bernardini in the home stretch, defeating Bernardini by a length. This win essentially secured the Eclipse Awards for Older Male Horse and Horse of the Year.