NYRA/Coglianese Photo

Decorated Invader takes on six others in Pennine Ridge (G2)

by Ryan Martin

Grade 1-winner Decorated Invader headlines Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Pennine Ridge over the Widener turf course at Belmont Park.

The one-mile event for 3-year-olds pays homage to the two-time stakes winner over the Belmont Park turf who set a stakes record in the 1994 Grade 3 Hill Prince when stopping the clock in 1:39.87. Pennine Ridge, who was owned by Allan Dragone's December Hill Farm and trained by David Donk, boasted a consistent 15-4-3-1 record when competing at Belmont Park.

Decorated Invader, owned by Terry Finley's West Point Thoroughbreds in partnership with William T. Freeman, William Sandbrook and Cheryl Manning, took Gulfstream Park's Cutler Bay on March 28 in his most recent start. The son of Declaration of War hit the gate at the break and was 15 lengths off the pace before making a five-wide move at the top of the stretch to garner a career-best 88 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory for trainer Christophe Clement.

As a 2-year-old, Decorated Invader graduated at second asking over the Mellon turf course at Saratoga besting next-out winner Summer to Remember. He then took his talents to Canada where he won the Grade 1 Summer at Woodbine en route to a close fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Decorated Invader has trained forwardly for Clement, most recently recording a half-mile breeze in 50.20 seconds over the Belmont inner turf on June 12.

"Decorated Invader is doing great. He's had two very nice breezes at Belmont with Joel [Rosario] aboard and he couldn't be doing better," Clement said. "I think he's a top class horse and the distance should be perfect for him."

Bred in Kentucky by Redmon Farm, Decorated Invader is out of the Arch broodmare Gamely Girl. He was a $200,000 acquisition from the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Indian Creek.

Jockey Joel Rosario piloted Decorated Invader to his last out win, and will retain the mount from post 1.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will saddle Leonard Green and Jonathan Green's Proven Strategies, who arrives off a runner-up effort in the English Channel.

The dark bay son of Sky Mesa displayed frontrunning fashion in his last three outings, which included a seventh-out maiden victory and an allowance win, both taking place against Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park.

Prior to his maiden win, Proven Strategies made three starts against stakes company, including a runner-up finish to Another Miracle in the Skidmore at Saratoga.

Jockey Jose Ortiz seeks a second Pennine Ridge triumph aboard Proven Strategies from post 3.

Two years after winning the Pennine Ridge with subsequent dual Grade 1-winner Catholic Boy, trainer Jonathan Thomas and owner Robert LaPenta will have Maroon Maniac entered in the one-mile event.

The dark bay Violence colt graduated in an off-the-turf maiden route at Tampa Bay Downs on April 14. This came after finishing second on debut to next-out winner Domestic Spending.

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano will attempt a third straight Pennine Ridge triumph when aboard Maroon Maniac from post 6.

Daniel M. Ryan's Vanzzy has won over dirt and all weather surfaces and will make his turf debut for trainer Michael Pino.

The Verrazano bay was a wire-to-wire winner of the Rushaway at Turfway Park last out, where he set a leisurely pace and drew off to win by 4 ¼ lengths.

Two starts prior to his stakes victory, he scored another wire-to-wire stakes victory over the Tapeta surface at Woodbine in the Display on December 14.

Jockey Kendrick Carmouche, who piloted Vanzzy in the Rushaway, returns to the saddle from post 5.

Rounding out the field are Venezuelan Hug [post 2, Luis Saez]. Mr. Kringle [post 4, Jose Lezcano], and Famished [post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr.].

Slated as Race 4 on Saturday's 12-race card, which offers a first post of 11:45 a.m. Eastern, the Pennine Ridge will feature on America's Day at the Races, produced by NYRA in partnership with FOX Sports, and airing live on FOX Sports and MSG+. Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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