Big Invasion notches fifth consecutive win with Quick Call

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Big Invasion ran his winning streak to five while capturing his first graded stakes with a decisive 2 3/4-length victory in Sunday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Quick Call Stakes for 3-year-old turf sprinters at Saratoga.

Sitting fifth of six early behind a hot early pace under Joel Rosario, Big Invasion split horses around the far turn, tipped four-wide in the lane and ran by pacesetters Surprise Boss and Run Curtis Run in midstretch and was taken in hand late. His final time of 1:00.80 for 5 1/2 furlongs was just 0.59 off the course record set by Carotari in 2019.

Big Invasion, a son of Declaration of War owned by Dean Reeves and trained by Christophe Clement, returned $3.70 as the 4-5 favorite. He was given a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

Run Curtis Run finished second by a half-length over Surprise Boss. Sky and Sand was fourth, followed by Asymmetric and Nobals. One Timer, Dance Code and main-track-only entrants Senbei and Hagler were all scratched.

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Big Invasion took advantage of a hotly contested pace that had Surprise Boss and Run Curtis Run heads apart through a half-mile in 43.83 seconds. Once Big Invasion was able to split horses without incident around the turn, the outcome was hardly in doubt.

“He broke really well, it looked like there was a little speed in front of me and he settled nicely behind and kind of made the move on the turn and had to continue his move and he did great,” said Rosario, who won three races on Sunday’s card, and has a meet-leading seven from 22 mounts after opening week. “Turning for home I was just a passenger. He was the best horse in the race.”

Big Invasion added the Quick Call to victories in the Paradise Creek at Belmont, the William Walker at Churchill, the Texas Glitter and a maiden race at Gulfstream Park. All that came after he finished second on debut in January at Gulfstream.

“He’s becoming very versatile, he’s more mature, he’s a very serious horse,” Clement said. “If I can keep him sound, he should be even better from 3 to 4 because he’s still a touch immature, but he’s very fast. If we can control that speed, he’s a major horse.”

Clement said races that will be considered next for Big Invasion are the $150,000 Mahony for 3-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs here on Aug. 14 and/or the $1 million Turf Sprint for 3-and-up going six furlongs at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 10.

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