Normandy Invasion storms home in
track-record time
The final time was originally reported as 1:34.78 on the fast main track. But
Normandy Invasion had not won since his 9 1/4-length maiden conquest as a
Although plans called for Normandy Invasion to freshen up for a summer
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Normandy Invasion was training sharply for this comeback, an entry-level
allowance versus just five overmatched foes, and he flaunted his class. Breaking
from the rail, the heavy favorite settled into a comfortable rhythm in fourth
through fractions of :22 4/5 and :44 4/5. Normandy Invasion easily ranged
alongside the leaders rounding the far turn, took command at the six-furlong
mark in 1:08 3/5, and rapidly opened up.
After briefly encouraging Normandy Invasion in upper stretch, Castellano sat
chilly, and the four-year-old colt won as much the best, with speed to spare, by
7 3/4 lengths. His legions of fans were rewarded with a $2.40 win mutuel.
“I had a beautiful trip,” Castellano said. “I had so much horse. When the
horses in front of me stopped, I had to go completely around the horses. I asked
him a little bit, and he took off.”
“It was a long wait, but it was worth it,” owner Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farm said.
“We thought giving him
the year off after the injury was the right thing to do. It’s hard to give them
that much time off, but it turned out better than we thought it could. You can
see how much weight he put on. We couldn’t ask for anything better than what we
got today.”
Brown was relieved that Normandy Invasion performed up to his works.
“When they train as well as this horse and they physically look that good — he’s
never looked better in my opinion — you’re quietly confident they’ll go out
there in the afternoon and do it,” Brown said. “That’s the final piece of the
puzzle. They have to go out there and do it.
“As a trainer, I don’t care who you are, I don’t think you’re ever certain
they’re going to do it until they cross the line and do it. We were confident he
was sound and training better than ever. We were confident to put Javier right
back on this horse. They get along well, and hopefully this is a start to a
great year for this horse.”
While a specific race has not been selected for Normandy Invasion’s next start,
a two-turn race is in the plans.
“This one-turn mile was a good starting point,” Brown said. “We’re looking to
run the horse in those two-turn dirt handicap races, really anywhere.”
The Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds on March 29 had previously
been mentioned as a possible target for Normandy Invasion, who is now an earner
of $424,390 from his 7-2-2-0 line.
The bay was bred in Kentucky by Betz, Kidder, Gainesway, Graves, D.J. Stable
and Cole. A May 2 foal, he RNA’d for $145,000 as a Keeneland September yearling,
and sold to his current connections for $230,000 back at Keeneland the following
April.
Normandy Invasion is out of the Boston Harbor mare Boston Lady, and his
family members include Group 1-placed Cordoba; Grade 3 victress Derrianne;
Grade/Group 2 winners Gulls Cry, her son Nemain, and Navesink; and Free Fee
Lady, successful in the 2010 Bison City and Wonder Where.
“I think he’s one of the best colts I’ve had,” Porter added. “I’ve had some
good ones. We’ve got a ways to go before we see how to compare him — it’s too
early to compare him. Right now, I’d say the potential, he’s right up there near
the top.”
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