Invasor (horse)

Argentine bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Invasor (foaled August 3, 2002) is a Thoroughbred racehorse bred in Argentina by Haras Clausan (Haras Santa Ines). The winner of the 2005 Triple Crown in Uruguay, he was later purchased by Sheik Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who paid approximately US$1.4 million for the horse. His two biggest wins were the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic, in which he defeated heavily favored Bernardini and highly fancied Lava Man, and the 2007 Dubai World Cup, the world's richest horse race. He finished racing with a record of eleven wins in twelve starts and career earnings of $7,804,070. He was voted the Eclipse Award for American Horse of the Year and led the year end World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings in 2006. In 2013 he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York.

A bay stallion with a small white star, Invasor was foaled in Argentina, sired by the famous Candy Stripes out of Quendom (ARG) by Interprete (ARG). Candy Stripes was also the sire of such notable horses as Criollito, Different, Leroidesanimaux, Lundy's Liability, Sweetest Thing, and Victory Stripes. Quendom and Invasor's maternal line are at Haras Santa Ines, Duggan, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Invasor was bought as a two year old by Pablo Hernandez and brothers Juan Luis and Luis Alberto Vio Bado, Uruguayans who brought him to their home country. Pablo Hernandez remembers the day he and the two brothers first saw Invasor. Their friend, Miguel Ezcurra from Bullrich Auctioneers, took them by car to visit some smaller farms near Buenos Aires. After looking at 80 colts and fillies at several farms, they went to Haras Clausan (Haras Santa Ines) in Duggan, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and saw Invasor. "It was as if we had been hit with Cupid's arrow," said Hernandez. "We just fell in love with him." Sandro Miserocchi, owner of Haras Clausan (renamed Haras Santa Ines), said the horse would cost them $25,000. The three Uruguayans countered with $18,000. They all settled for $20,000. Hernandez said, "We purchased him and exported him to Maroñas Racetrack in Uruguay." "There was great anticipation here for the Jockey Club Gold Cup," said Pablo Roig, editor of Uruguay Turf Line. "Here in Montevideo, we follow all his races through the OTB simulcasts, and the people are enjoying all his victories." "In Uruguay, soccer is our main sport," said Luis Costa Baleta, a horse owner from a long time Uruguayan racing family. "Whenever the national team plays, the entire country stops to watch the match. Since Invasor has gone to the United States, every time he runs, all the simulcast halls are crowded with people who come to see him and bet on him. They shout and cheer for him as if Uruguay was playing in the finals of the World Cup. They treat the horse as if he were still their own. No one can imagine what it's like. He's become a national hero." The racing journalist and writer Miguel Aguirre Bayley wrote: "In my opinion, Invasor excelled because of his refined qualities, his endurance, and his outstanding intelligence. Invasor may well become one of the best racehorses in the history of the American Turf."

On November 4, 2006, Invasor, ridden by Fernando Jara, won the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, Kentucky. The field included favored Bernardini, second favorite Lava Man, and European three year old champion George Washington. Invasor, under the guidance of the 18 year old jockey Jara, passed Bernardini in the home stretch to win by a length. This win essentially secured the Eclipse Awards for Older Male Horse and Horse of the Year. He also effectively secured a Grand Slam of horse racing, as he had won the previous year's local Triple Crown and then secured the Classic.

On February 3, 2007, Invasor won his fifth successive Grade I victory in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park. Coming from off the pace, he was virtually stopped when Barcola, the long shot pacesetter, began backing up. Under jockey Fernando Jara, Invasor was forced to check. Trying to angle off the rail, he was still blocked, clipping heels with Barcola. Coming into the stretch, Invasor and Jara found the hole they needed and squeezed through, achieving a two length victory over Hesanoldsalt, ridden by Rafael Bejarano.

On March 31, 2007, Invasor, again ridden by Fernando Jara, took the $6 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates against his rival Discreet Cat. His time of 1:59.97 for 2,000 meters was the second fastest in the race's history, exceeded only by Dubai Millennium's time of 1:59.50 in 2000. Discreet Cat finished last by 23 lengths, but Premium Tap, who had set the pace, battled Invasor in the stretch for place with the Hong Kong horse Bullish Luck third. Invasor returned to the United States for a summer campaign but was injured and retired. He started twelve times and won eleven races. In the one race that he lost, the UAE Derby, he finished fourth behind Discreet Cat, a loss Invasor avenged in the running of the 2007 Dubai World Cup. His career earnings were $7,804,070.

FinishRaceDistanceJockeyTimeGradeRunner up/WinnerTrack1stDubai World Cup10 fFernando Jara1:59.9IPremium TapNad Al Sheba Racecourse1stDonn Handicap9 fFernando Jara1:48.43IHesanoldstaftGulfstream Park1stBreeders' Cup Classic10 fFernando Jara2:02.18IBernardiniChurchill Downs1stWhitney Handicap9 fFernando Jara1:49.06ISun KingSaratoga Race Course1stSuburban Handicap10 fFernando Jara2:01.23IWild DesertBelmont Park1stPimlico Special Handicap9.5 fRamon Dominguez1:54.4IWanderin BoyPimlico Race Course4thUAE Derby1 3/16mRichard HillsIIDiscreet CatNad Al Sheba Racecourse1stGran Premio Nacional (Uruguayan Derby)12.5 fGustavo Duarte2:36.74I URUPotri FlashMaroñas1stGran Premio Jockey Club10 fGustavo Duarte2:02.41I URUPotri FlashMaroñas1stPolla de Potrillos (Uruguayan Two Thousand Guineas)8 fFernando Olivera1:36.26I URUPotri FlashMaroñas1stClasico Ensayo7.5 fGustavo Duarte1:28.87III URUVasco KingMaroñas1stLapsang (Maiden)5.5 fGustavo Duarte1:04.33LyonMaroñas