Clement to run Decorated invader at Belmont, ship Gufo to Santa Anita

Trainer Christophe Clement will split up his pair of stakes-winning 3-year-old turf horses for their next starts.

Decorated Invader, the Grade 1 winning 2-year-old who won the $75,000 Cutler Bay Stakes at Gulfstream in his 3-year-old debut March 28, will make his next start in the Grade 2, $150,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes on June 20 at Belmont Park.

Gufo, who won his third straight race when he took the English Channel Stakes on May 2 at Gulfstream, is being pointed to the $150,000 Cinema Stakes on June 6 at Santa Anita. That plan is pending travel arrangements.

Decorated Invader on Sunday worked five furlongs in 1:03.40 over the turf course at Payson Park. He shipped to New York on Monday and will likely work again this weekend at Belmont in preparation for the Pennine Ridge.

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The Pennine Ridge, shortened this year to a mile from 1 1/8 miles, serves as a prep for the Grade 1 Belmont Derby though that race is now likely to be run sometime during the Saratoga meet.

“We thought about shipping him to Europe but were told there will be some of these major 3-year-old races later on so we canceled the Europe trip,” Clement said.

Gufo has won twice at 1 1/16 miles and once at 1 1/8 miles, the latter being the distance of the Cinema.

Gufo worked five furlongs in 1:02.60 over the turf course at Payson Park on May 18.