Summer Stakes (G1) at Woodbine

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. guides Decorated Invader to victory in Summer Stakes (G1) at Woodbine on Sunday, September 15, 2019 

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. piloted both winners of Sunday’s Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” races at Woodbine, but one was a lot easier than the other. While Decorated Invader was in a league of his own in the $189,103 Summer (G1), the filly Abscond had to call on all of her battling qualities to prevail in a Natalma (G1) photo. Thus Decorated Invader is likely to attract more backers going into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) than Abscond in the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

West Point Thoroughbreds, William T. Freeman and William Sandbrook’s Decorated Invader was making his stakes debut in the wake of a terrific maiden win at Saratoga, and accordingly ranked as the 2-1 second choice. The Christophe Clement pupil wasn’t quick into stride as he and Irish shipper Vitalogy bumped out of the gate, but it was soon clear that Ortiz had a handful of horse.

Up front, Keep on Truckin flashed speed in the opening strides before suddenly dropping back. It was the 109-1 Cadet Connelly who controlled the tempo through fractions of :24.26, :48.43, and 1:13.08 on a course labeled yielding. Mystic Lancelot, the 2-1 favorite, chased before fading, possibly affected by hitting the gate at the start.

Cadet Connelly, in defiance of his exorbitant odds, was not stopping down the stretch. But Decorated Invader was on the march, and once Ortiz got him in gear, the son of Declaration of War put his rivals away handily. Opening up by 1 3/4 lengths, Decorated Invader clocked the mile in 1:36.34.

Vitalogy, who had to angle around the winner for room, finished well in third and just failed to catch runner-up Cadet Connelly by a head. With a clearer passage, Vitalogy arguably would have taken second. Proven Strategies was another head away in fourth, followed by Pleasecallmeback, Talking, Cucina, Zoological, Mystic Lancelot, and Keep on Truckin. Secret Stash was scratched in favor of the Natalma.



Decorated Invader advanced his record to 3-2-1-0, $180,375. The bay showed promise in his Spa debut, rallying late for second to Field Pass, who subsequently placed second in the With Anticipation (G3). Decorated Invader learned from that experience to win handsomely in his second try, and the Summer marked another step forward.

“We were just looking for him to relax in the first part of the race and then let him run in the end,” Ortiz told Woodbine publicity. “We know he can run so we just want to relax him and teach him the first part.

“He’s only had three races so I think he’s getting better and better. Today, I really liked the way he did it. He was floating in a little bit in the stretch – he always does – but hopefully he learns and if he just keeps a little more straight in the stretch that would be great. He keeps learning.”