Normandy Invasion ready for comeback

Normandy Invasion training for last year’s Kentucky Derby (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography) At this time last year, Normandy Invasion was taking his first steps on the Triple Crown trail that would ultimately see him forge a lead into midstretch of the Kentucky Derby before finishing fourth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Orb. Unraced since the Derby due to a foot abscess and other minor issues, Normandy Invasion launches his comeback on Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the fourth race, an entry-level allowance going one mile on the main track. Owned by Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms and trained by Chad Brown, Normandy Invasion drew post No. 1 and was installed as the 7-5 morning line favorite in the field of six older horses. Javier Castellano, on track to register his third straight meet riding championship, will be aboard. “I thought time went by fast, but now I know that it really goes fast because it’s been a year since we were thinking about the Derby,” Porter said. “All we can do is wait and see, but he’s sure showing every indication for us to expect a big race out of him.”

A four-year-old bay son of Tapit, Normandy Invasion has never raced at
Gulfstream and is trying a mile for the first time since his only victory in six
career starts, a 9 1/4-length maiden score at Aqueduct in November 2012.

Normandy Invasion closed his two-year-old season running second by a nose in
the Remsen before finishing fifth by 1 1/2 lengths in the Risen Star in his
first start at three. He was second to Verrazano in the Wood Memorial prior to
the Derby.

“We’ve given Normandy plenty of time off purposely. We weren’t going to give
him this much time off originally, but when he got the abscess in his foot we
decided to bring him back as a four-year-old,” Porter said. “I wanted to let the
hoof grow all the way out. We’ve given him plenty of time and he responded.”

Normandy Invasion was initially sent to WinStar Farm to begin preparing for
his comeback before joining Brown’s string at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s
satellite training facility in Boynton Beach, Florida. He has had eight works
since arriving, most recently going a half-mile in :48 4/5 on February 16.

“Chad feels, and I’ve been watching, that he’s galloping better than he ever
has,” Porter said. “He’s galloped with more intensity and he seems to want to go
further than they’re letting him go. His works are getting better and better,
and his gallop-outs are as if he’s still working. Everything’s a go for the
mornings. I’m just hoping that that translates into a big afternoon, and we will
see the real Normandy Invasion back in action.”

In a perfect world, Porter said he would like to see Normandy Invasion run
well enough to point for the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds on
March 29. That’s the same race Belmont Stakes hero Palace Malice has on his
calendar.

“When you’ve been off nine or 10 months, you always worry about them getting
a little tired, no matter how long you gallop them and how many five-eighths you
put in them,” Porter said. “There’s a chance he might get a little bit tired,
but Chad feels he won’t have a problem with the distance. Chad’s a good
conditioner with horses that have been off for a while. I’m looking for him to
run well.”

Porter said he will travel from Kentucky to Gulfstream to watch Normandy
Invasion’s race in person.

“I think I’m more nervous this time,” Porter said. “Normally I’m not nervous,
but I know how much horse we have and I’m just hoping somewhere along the line
something hasn’t gone wrong and he isn’t going to show up when we get to the
races. There’s really no reason to feel that way, but I’ll feel a lot more
relieved when the race is over and he comes out of it good and is able to win
the race or at least run a big race.

“We don’t have to win the race. We certainly would like to win the race and
he should win the race unless a mile’s just too much for him first time back
after 10 months.”

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