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Invasor puts in final Suburban work

Invasor (outside) easily matched Like Now stride for stride in Saturday's work (Ross Woodson/Horsephotos.com) Horse of the Year INVASOR (Arg) (Candy Stripes) breezed five furlongs in company with Grade 3-winning speedster LIKE NOW (Jules) on Saturday morning over Belmont Park's fast main track, recording his final major workout for the June 30 Suburban H. (G1). The Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) king blazed five-eighths in :59 2/5, tying for the quickest of 29 moves at that distance with his workmate. "He worked with another nice horse and they both went well," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin explained. "(Clockers) got them a half-mile in :46 4/5 and they kept going. They started even and Invasor galloped out about a half-length in front of (Like Now). It was a very good work for both horses." Invasor will be going for his seventh straight Grade/Group 1 victory in the Suburban, having already captured the Donn H. (G1) and Dubai World Cup this season. He'll also be trying to win back-to-back runnings of the 1 1/4-mile test, scoring in last year's edition by 4 1/4 lengths prior to victories in the Whitney H. (G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic.

"Where (Invasor) is at now, he doesn't need to work that fast, but the track was fast this morning," McLaughlin added. "He did need to get something out of this because he hasn't run in a while."

The Suburban will be Invasor's first race back since his triumph in Dubai on March 31. The bay horse will probably make his next start in the $500,000 Woodward S. (G1) on September 1 at Saratoga, though his trainer hasn't completely ruled out another tilt at the Whitney, which is set for July 28 at The Spa.

McLaughlin is already pointing recent Stephen Foster H. (G1) hero FLASHY BULL (Holy Bull) to the Whitney. The gray is ultimately heading for the inaugural running of the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, which will be run at a mile and 70 yards on October 26 at Monmouth Park.

"He's really an improved horse this year," McLaughlin said of Flashy Bull. "After (he ran seventh in) the Haskell (G1) last summer, we gave him about three months off and that really seemed to make a difference. A mile and 70 yards is good for him. He doesn't want a mile and a quarter."

Like Now, McLaughlin's other charge, returned off a more than 12-month layoff two weeks ago in a Delaware Park allowance/optional claiming event, finishing fourth by 2 3/4 lengths. The 2006 Gotham S. (G3) winner missed most of last year after undergoing knee surgery.

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