Invasor off the mark in Kentucky

Breeders’ Cup champion Invasor (Arg) sired his first winner at Ellis Park in Kentucky on Monday.  

Wonder of It All (2f Invasor – Darling Daughter by Maria’s Mon) scored with a last-to-first burst over 1600m on turf.  She made up more than 10 lengths to win by a nose for owner-trainer Fred Seitz.

Wonder of It All was a $30,000 graduate from Three Chimneys Farm at the 2010 Keeneland September yearling sale.  She is the first foal of Darling Daughter who won three races up to 1700m as well as being G3 placed at Gulfstream Park.

Invasor (Candy Stripes) was a sensation when he started racing in Uruguay.  After winning the 2005 Triple Crown by a combined margin of 16 lengths, he was purchased privately by Sheikh Hamdan and transferred to the USA.

Invasor made his USA debut a winning one against older horses in the G1 Pimlico Special.  He kept rolling with a four length victory in the G1 Suburban Hcp and a photo-finish verdict in the G1 Whitney Hcp.

He finished the year with a powerful finishing burst to defeat Bernardini going away in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Honoured as the 2006 USA Horse of the Year, Invasor stayed in trained and won the G1 Donn Hcp at Gulfstream Park first-up in February 2007 despite a near-disastrous stumble in the back straight.

The following month, Invasor was a convincing winner of the $6 million Dubai World Cup in what turned out to be his swansong.  He returned Stateside but fractured a sesamoid and was promptly retired.

Invasor stands at Shadwell Farm in Kentucky for a $20,000 fee.