Decorated Invader tops Juvenile Turf rankings after punching Breeders’ Cup ticket at Woodbine

West Point Thoroughbreds, William Freeman and William Sandbrook’s DECORATED INVADER ran clear to a second straight tally when pulling away late in the $189,103 Summer S. (G1) at Woodbine Race Course on Sunday. In the process, the juvenile colt punched his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Santa Anita in the “Win and You’re In” event.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the Kentucky-bred finished 1 3/4 lengths in front at the wire when completing one mile over the yielding turf course in 1:36.34 beneath Irad Ortiz Jr. The once-beaten son of Declaration of War overcame a slow break to garner his first Grade 1 triumph.

Pacesetter Cadet Connelly stayed on to earn the place spot at whopping 109-1 odds, while European import Vitalogy was another head back to notch show honors.

Decorated Invader began his career with a late-running second on the lawn at Saratoga, and returned on August 10 to dominate a similar type of field by more than three lengths. The two-year-olds boasts improving BRIS Speed number of 77-85-90 to this point of his career, and the best may be yet to come for the fine prospect.

Two races later in the $188,124 Natalma S. (G1) for two-year-old fillies, Apogee Bloodstock and Mike Anderson Racing, LLC’s ABSCOND got up by a nose at the wire to earn her way into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) field. The bay filly stopped the teletimer in 1:36.51 for one mile on the yielding going to pick up her first stakes trophy.

The Eddie Kenneally pupil, who was also guided home by Irad Ortiz, Jr., upped her mark to two-for-three lifetime. The daughter of Blame was exiting a second-place finish in the Bolton Landing S. at Saratoga. Abscond posted a lifetime-best 89 BRIS Speed figure for her work.

European invader Walk in Marrakesh was a hard-luck loser in second and finished a neck clear of 3-5 choice Fair Maiden.

Here is my current top six for the Juvenile Turf (North America only):

1. Decorated Invader -- Impressive colt has a high ceiling
2. Peace Achieved -- Casse pupil 2-for-2 since stretching out
3. Our Country -- With Anticipation (G3) fourth will move forward next time out
4. Fighting Seabee -- With Anticipation upsetter unbeaten for McPeek
5. Encoder -- English Channel youngster was all heart in Del Mar stakes tally
6. Structor -- Palace Malice colt was very impressive in debut score at the Spa

Here is my current top six for the Juvenile Fillies Turf (North America only):

1. Kimari -- Bolton Landing S. romper will be formidable if she carries her speed
2. Abscond -- Game Natalma queen trending in the right direction
3. Crystalle -- Kimmel filly has displayed a fine turn of foot from a pair of outings
4. Cambria -- Ward standout is bred to handle a route of ground
5. Jezebel’s Kitten -- Kentucky Downs romper was most impressive last time out
6. Jazzique -- Saratoga sprint heroine looks like a fine prospect for Brown

Decorated Invader wins the Summer at Woodbine (c) WEG/Michael Burns Photography