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‘Top Class’ Decorated Invader Headlines Saturday’s Pennine Ridge

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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‘Very Professional’ Perfect Alibi To Begin 3-Year-Old Season In Acorn

Tracy Farmer's Grade 1-winner Perfect Alibi has been ready to debut her 3-year-old form for the better part of the last few months. On Saturday, Belmont Stakes Day, the daughter of Sky Mesa will finally get the chance to take some tangible steps forward in her progress when she headlines a field of sevensophomore fillies in the Grade 1, $300,000 Longines Acorn going a one-turn mile over the Belmont Park main track.

The Longines Acorn, slated as Race 8 at 4:15 p.m. Eastern, is one of six graded stakes races on a stellar June 20 card highlighted by the 152nd running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes and two additional Grade 1s in the $250,000 Woody Stephens presented by Claiborne Farm an the $250,000 Jaipur presented by America's Best Racing, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. NBC will have live coverage starting at 2:45 p.m. Eastern.

When Perfect Alibi heads to post in the Acorn – which has produced such divisional champions as Abel Tasman (2017) and Monomoy Girl (2018) in recent seasons – it will mark the first competitive outing for the dark bay filly since her fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita Park on November 1. Though her trainer Mark Casse already planned for his protégé to get a deserved break following her sixth career start, the hiatus ended up being extended as the coronavirus pandemic forced most tracks to shut down temporarily.

As the newly minted Hall of Fame conditioner worked to keep Perfect Alibi race ready while waiting for an opportunity to present itself, Casse saw a more authoritative version of her in the mornings – one he hopes will elevate her gritty demeanor in the afternoons.

“She's been ready to run for about three months,” Casse said. “She's always been very, very professional. If anything, she's a little better work horse than she was. Last year, if you wanted to give some confidence to another horse you'd just work them with her because she'd let anybody beat her – except when they run in the afternoon. This year and recently, she's been a little more aggressive in her works.”

Bred in Kentucky by Pin Oak Stud out of the Maria Mon's mare No Use Denying, Perfect Alibi was one of the more precocious members of her class last season, winning three of six starts including two graded stakes triumphs at Saratoga Race Course. Two starts after breaking her maiden at first asking last May at Churchill Downs, the leggy filly showed mettle beyond her years when she found room after being stuck behind a wall of horses midstretch en route to taking the Grade 2 Adirondack going 6 ½ furlongs last August.

She followed that effort up by taking her quality to the next level with a 1 ¼-length triumph in the Grade 1 Spinaway before being bested by eventual 2-year-old filly champion British Idiom in both the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

“She struggled big time (with the Santa Anita track),” Casse said of Perfect Alibi's Breeders' Cup run. “She got a hold of the track late and she actually made a mild move at the end.”

Perfect Alibi has logged one start over the Belmont surface, having finished second in the 2019 Astoria going 5 ½ furlongs last June. She will break from post 7 under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.

“I said the other day that training horses is like putting a puzzle together. And this year it's putting a puzzle together with no pictures and no edges. It's even more difficult with everything going on,” Casse said. “I just feel fortunate that we're running. We're lucky.”

Perfect Alibi is the only graded stakes winner in the Acorn field but she will have no cakewalk as she returns from her near seven-month layoff. Among her biggest threats is the speedy Gamine, who has led every point of call in her two career starts.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Gamine has been stealing focus from her comrades ever since she sold to owner Michael Lund Petersen for $1.8 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training sale. The daughter of Into Mischief dusted her foes by 6 ¼ lengths on debut March 7, going 6 ½-furlongs at Santa Anita Park. She then stretched out successfully when taking a 1 1/16-miles allowance optional claiming test by a neck at Oaklawn Park on May 2.

“She's just a tall, really elegant filly,” Baffert said. “We took our time with her, let her develop. Her two races have been really nice races. I could have stayed home and run her here two turns in the (Santa Anita) Oaks but I wanted to give her a couple extra weeks. I thought the Acorn with the bigger, wider turns, I think she'll like that. And it's a lot of prestige.”

Gamine's speed has been her most effective weapon, and her trainer isn't about to alter that strategy for Saturday's one-turn test.

“She's fast. At Oaklawn, she just broke and made the lead easily,” Baffert said. “I've been breezing her and going easy with her. The other day I worked her and she tracked a horse all the way. She's still just learning. But she's going to be forwardly placed. She'll be up there close.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez will have the call aboard Gamine on Saturday from post 1.

Casual, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, is also stepping into graded stakes company for the first time after posting victories in her first two starts.

Assistant trainer Toby Sheets said the Curlin filly should be comfortable in the one-turn mile.

“Casual is doing very well. She shipped in [Tuesday] also and came in very well; she looks great,” said Toby Sheets, assistant to Asmussen. “I don't think a mile will be a problem at all for her.”

Ricardo Santana, Jr. has the call aboard Casual from post 4.

Rounding out the field is Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks-runner-up Lucrezia [post 2, Julien Leparoux] for trainer Arnaud Delacour; the Rudy Rodriguez-trained last-out Busher Invitational-winner Water White (post 3, Jorge Vargas, Jr.]; Glass Ceiling [post 5, Joel Rosario]; and Pleasant Orb [post 6, Manny Franco] round out the field.

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Woody Stephens Matches Mischevious Alex, No Parole, Asmussen Duo

Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex, who captured the Grade 3 Gotham last out on March 7 at the Big A for trainer John Servis, headlines Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 Woody Stephens presented by Claiborne Farm at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The Into Mischief bay, bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, arrives at Saturday's seven-furlong test for sophomores on a three-race streak that includes scores in the Parx Juvenile in November and the Grade 3 Swale in February at Gulfstream Park ahead of his Gotham glory.

Servis said he had considered Saturday's nine-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes for Mischevious Alex, who is returning to the top flight off a three-month layoff.

“I'd love to be running in the Belmont,” said Servis. “But I wanted to run him shorter first back off the layoff and then stretch him out after that. The Woody Stephens seemed like a good spot.”

Mischevious Alex worked a half-mile in 51.42 seconds Tuesday morning at Parx Racing in preparation for the Woody Stephens.

“He's training very good coming into the race,” said Servis. “We had some time between races with the coronavirus and I eased off on him a little bit because we didn't have a schedule.”

Undefeated since the addition of blinkers for his Parx Juvenile score, Mischevious Alex boasts a record of 7-4-1-1 with purse earnings of $344,230. Servis said he is looking forward to racing at Belmont Park.

“It's awesome,” said Servis. “Anytime you get to run in a Grade 1, it's exciting and the fact that I'll be able to go up there and saddle him and see him run is even more exciting. I haven't been able to do much of that of late.”

Kendrick Carmouche, aboard for the Gotham win, retains the mount from post 3.

Maggi Moss and Greg Tramontin's No Parole, trained by Tom Amoss, has won 4-of-5 career starts. The Louisiana-bred Violence bay, a $75,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, posted double-digit wins in his first two career starts in restricted affairs at Fair Grounds romping a six-furlong maiden event in December before sprinting to a 13 ¼-length allowance score in January.

No Parole made it three straight wins with a 6 ½-length score in the restricted one-mile Premier Night Prince in February at Delta Downs ahead of an off-the-board effort in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Rebel in March on a sloppy strip at Oaklawn Park.

Last out, No Parole returned to sprinting with a front-running score in an open optional-claiming sprint on April 14 at the Hot Springs, Arkansas oval.

“This is a horse that showed he's an open company caliber horse last out,” said Amoss. “With limited options these past few months, there have been allowance races popping up with some really good horses at Oaklawn, here at Churchill and at Belmont, so that was a good race out of him last time. We think he's a top sprinter.”

No Parole will emerge from the inside post under Luis Saez.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables and LNJ Foxwoods' Shoplifted and L and N Racing's Echo Town.

Shoplifted, an $800,000 purchase from the Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, graduated on debut in a maiden sprint in July at Saratoga Race Course. The Into Mischief bay next contested a trio of Grade 1 events finishing second in the Runhappy Hopeful on September 2 at Saratoga, fifth in the American Pharoah on September 27 at Santa Anita and seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 1 at Santa Anita.

Shoplifted, off the board in a trio of sophomore starts at Oaklawn Park at distances of one mile or longer, returns to sprinting Saturday.

Echo Town, by Speightstown and out of the Grade 2-winning Menifee mare Letgomyecho, is a half-brother to 2017 Grade 3 Gotham winner J Boys Echo. A $100,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Echo Town has made five starts, all in six-furlong sprints on the main track. He graduated in January at Fair Grounds ahead of a trio of efforts at Oaklawn Park that included an allowance win in March and a runner-up effort in the Bachelor on April 25.

Last out, Echo Town went gate-to-wire on May 25 in an optional-claiming sprint at Churchill Downs.

“Echo Town came in Tuesday in good shape. He's got a lot of weight on him and looks really good,” said assistant trainer Toby Sheets. “Shoplifted has been here and he's been training beautifully. I think he's got a really good shot.”

Jose Ortiz will pilot Shoplifted from post 5 and Ricardo Santana, Jr. will guide Echo Town from post 4.

Colts Neck Stables' Meru has flashed brilliance in just four career starts for trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr. Bred in Kentucky by Godolphin, the Sky Mesa bay graduated on debut in July at Monmouth Park and followed up with a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure, winning the six-furlong Smoke Glacken at the Oceanport, New Jersey oval.

Meru endured a troubled trip in the one-mile Grade 3 Nashua in November at the Big A when pinched at the break and steadied before rallying to finish second behind well-regarded Independence Hall. Last out, in his seasonal debut in a May 25 optional-claiming sprint at Churchill Downs, Meru demonstrated a good late kick to be fourth, defeated less than a length by Woody Stephens-rival Echo Town.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call aboard Meru from post 2.

Carded as Race 2 at 12:25 p.m. Eastern on Saturday's 12-race slate, the Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Claiborne Farm 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 broadcast and can be accessed at www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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June 18 Insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

WELL-RELATED FILLY DEBUTS IN ‘EMPIRE’ STATE

1st-BEL, $64K, Msw, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:15p.m.

Gainesway’s LOVE ON THE RUN (Empire Maker) makes her career bow in this spot for Bill Mott. Hammering for $425,000 at KEENOV, the bay is a half-sister to two-time Grade I winner Belle Gallantey (After Market). Bass Stables’ Thankful (American Pharoah) makes her second start and first on dirt here for trainer Todd Pletcher. She finished ninth on debut on the grass at Gulfstream after brushing the gates and going wide on the turns May 14. Picked out by Steve Young on behalf of the Bass family for $625,000 at FTSAUG, the bay is a half to GSW Brazen Persuasion (Indian Charlie) and SW Behold De Buy (E Dubai). TJCIS PPs

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