Invader, Karak sweep Turfway stakes for Ward

Invader has made himself right at home since shifting to Turfway Park, winning his second consecutive race at the northern Kentucky track as he rolled to victory in the $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial on Friday night.

The race serves as the local prep for the Grade 3, $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 14, which awards the top finishers points toward the Kentucky Derby starting gate on a 20-8-4-2 scale. Invader's victory in the stepping-stone kicked off a double for trainer Wesley Ward in Turfway's 3-year-old stakes on Friday night, as later in the evening, the filly Karak posted a flashy victory in the $75,000 Cincinnati Trophy.

Invader ($12.80) has always been well regarded based on his pedigree, as the son of popular international sire War Front fetched $500,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. The colt is out of the Group 3-winning Galileo mare Say, making him a full brother to Grade 1 winner Fog of War and stakes winner Naval Intelligence. Say is out of multiple Grade 1 winner Riskaverse, and this is the family of Horse of the Year Havre de Grace and Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist, among other top performers.

However, Invader, a May foal, took time to deliver on his promise, going winless in his first four starts as a juvenile last year on turf in New York and Kentucky. Trying Turfway's synthetic track for the first time, he won a one-mile maiden special weight by 12 3/4 lengths on Dec. 4, prompting Ward to move him up to stakes company.

Invader and Albin Jimenez sat in a stalking third position early as High Holy, sent away favored off a Turfway allowance-optional claiming victory in which he earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure, set the pace in his first two-turn race, ticking off an opening quarter in 24.45 seconds and the half in 48.71 seconds. High Holy still led Invader, who had moved to second, by a length through six furlongs in 1:12.52, but the eventual winner began handily reeling him in while kept outside by Jimenez. He struck the front in the stretch and, though High Holy dug in, Invader found his measure and pulled clear in the final eighth to win by 6 1/4 lengths. He finished the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.92.

High Holy easily held second, four lengths clear of Toma Todo, who edged My Man Flintstone by three-quarters of a length to round out the trifecta.

Later on the card, Karak ($8.80) powered clear in the stretch to dominate the Cincinnati Trophy by 8 1/2 lengths under Gerardo Corrales. Although the race is a sprint, it is considered a local prep for the Bourbonette Oaks on the Jeff Ruby undercard, which awards Kentucky Oaks points on a similar 20-8-4-2 scale.

Karak was in hand as she led the field through a contested opening half in 45.48 seconds, then was set down in earnest by Corrales once straightened away into the stretch. Despite tardiness changing leads, she was much the best, powering away to her final margin and finishing the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.40. Secretly Wicked came on to be second, 3 1/4 lengths clear of Fashion Code.

Karak, from the first crop of Karakontie, was a debut winner on the Belmont turf, then traveled to England and finished 15th in the Windsor Castle on the soft ground at the renowned Royal Ascot meeting. She bounced back to win the Tyro Stakes in August at Monmouth against colts. She then finished fourth in the Grade 3 Matron Stakes at Belmont and third in the Stewart Manor Stakes in November at Aqueduct.