Gulfstream: Normandy Invasion prepping for comeback

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Normandy Invasion, who has not started since his fourth-place finish in the 2013 Kentucky Derby, continues to train regularly in preparation for his 2014 debut, which could come here at Gulfstream Park next month, trainer Chad Brown said this weekend.

Normandy Invasion breezed four furlongs in 49.20 seconds on Sunday at Palm Meadows. The work was the fourth for the son of Tapit since his arrival at the training center late in fall.

Normandy Invasion was given a break after the Kentucky Derby to point for the Travers at Saratoga before being stopped on for the remainder of his 3-year-old campaign due to a foot issue.

[Clocker Reports: Get Mike Welsch’s clocker reports from Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows]

Normandy Invasion captured 1 of 6 starts at 2 and 3 while also finishing second in the Grade 2 Remsen and second, beaten less than a length by Verrazano, in the Grade 1 Wood. Normandy Invasion swept to the lead after the opening mile of the Derby and continued to maintain the advantage to midstretch before gradually weakening to finish fourth, beaten slightly more than three lengths by Orb.

“He keeps picking it up a little more each week,” said Brown. “He worked in 49 and a couple with his last quarter in 24 and 1 on Sunday, and I thought he looked good doing it. He’s filled out a lot since last year. You’d be impressed looking at him now. He’s never looked better physically. Whether he keeps that conditioning when I start running him is another question.”

Brown said it’s still too early to pick out a specific race for Normandy Invasion’s return.

If everything looks good he should be ready to run here sometime in February,” said Brown. “He still has his entry-level allowance condition and we could use that as a tool to get him started and then point to a stakes.”

Contrasting features

It will be the short and the long of it on Thursday’s program, with a pair of second-level optional-claiming races on the turf, one at five furlongs and the second carded at 1 7/16 miles, sharing top billing on the 10-race card.

A field of 10 fillies and mares was entered for the eighth race at five furlongs, including Four Aria, who will run only if the race comes off the grass. Magic Mesa, second in a similar dash on the main track here last month, and Lignite may vie for favoritism.

Global Express, an allowance winner going 1 1/2 miles in his 2013 finale at Keeneland and the one proven stayer in the lineup, will take on a group that also includes leading contenders Middleburg, Hothersal, and the Grade 1-tested Tattenham around three turns in the ninth race.