Big Invasion stretches out in Paradise Creek

ELMONT, N.Y. – Much in the way he is experimenting with Derrynane in Saturday’s $100,000 Soaring Softly Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, trainer Christophe Clement will try to stretch Big Invasion out to seven furlongs in Sunday’s $100,000 Paradise Creek for 3-year-olds on turf.

Big Invasion, a son of Declaration of War, has won three consecutive races including the Texas Glitter Stakes at five furlongs and, most recently, the William Walker going 5 1/2 furlongs at Churchill Downs. Typically, in those shorter races, the early pace is fast, setting it up for a horse with a devastating closing kick such as the one possessed by Big Invasion.

“Five-eighths is not the same as seven-eighths,” Clement said. “Sometimes, unless you try you don’t know.”

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The Paradise Creek seems like a good spot to try. On turf, the race only has six runners as the filly Champagne Poetry – entered in Saturday’s Soaring Softly – is entered for only the main track on Sunday.

There does appear to be some pace with Chanceux from the inside and Carpe’s Dream from post 5.

High Front is entered in both this race and Saturday’s $100,000 Jersey Derby going a mile at Monmouth Park. On Friday, trainer Jonathan Thomas said he is leaning toward running in the Paradise Creek as it is an incremental stretch-out from the six furlongs he ran when second in a first-level allowance here on May 5.

Thomas said High Front has some issues at the gate and the horse is loaded with a “Monty Roberts blanket” that basically falls off the horse’s hind end once he leaves the gate.

“That was the first time we used it and he hopped out of there,” Thomas said. “It cost him early position and he got hung wide and flattened out a little bit against a pretty polished older horse. All in all, it was a good effort, a good learning experience for him. I’d like to break quietly, save ground, and make one run without it being a big production.”

Maritime Wings is in from Ireland, where he went 1 for 4 under the tutelage of trainer Joseph O’Brien. Owned by Team Valor International, it is expected the horse will stay in the U.S. after this race, likely with trainer Todd Pletcher.

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Barry Irwin, president of Team Valor, said the horse was bought after his debut win last June at Leopardstown and though the horse was twice stakes placed in group races, he didn’t make the move forward Irwin was hoping.

“Our horse was immature, we put him away, we brought him back hoping we could have a guineas horse, but he wasn’t up to that level,” Irwin said. “We didn’t see anything for him over there so we brought him here.”

John Velazquez rides Maritime Wings from post 6.

Asymmetric is another European import making his U.S. debut. He won a Group 2 at Goodwood and was third in the Group 1 Prix Morny for trainer Alan King last summer. He is making his first start for Wesley Ward in this spot.

Ward said he is hoping for an off-the-pace trip Sunday under Irad Ortiz Jr.

“If we can get him behind horses and bring out the last part, I think he can get the trip if Irad rides him accordingly,” Ward said.