Invasor runs off with Suburban

ELMONT, N.Y. - Proving his victory in the Pimlico Special was not a one-shot deal, Invasor dominated a modest field of older horses in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 at Belmont Park.

Receiving a perfect stalking trip under 18-year-old journeyman jockey Fernando Jara, Invasor took command turning for home then kicked clear from Wild Desert, who tried to make a race of it in the stretch. Invasor, an Argentine-bred son of Candy Stripes, won by 4 1/4 lengths while running 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.23 over a fast track. He returned $4.50 as the favorite.

Wild Desert was second, one length ahead of Andromeda's Hero. Noble Causeway, Tap Day, Rathor, and Wilko completed the order of finish.

Invasor, owned by Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Stable, has now won 7 of 8 career starts. He won all five of his starts in Uruguay before finishing fourth to Discreet Cat in the UAE Derby in Dubai. In his North American debut, Invasor ran down a loose-on-the-lead Wanderin Boy to win the Grade 1 Pimlico Special.

"I was impressed last time, and a little bit surprised, but today was even more impressive," said trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who teamed with the same owner and jockey to win last month's Belmont Stakes with Jazil.

On paper, there did not appear to be much pace in the Suburban. Wilko, Noble Causeway, and Invasor all broke sharply, and Noble Causeway, under Javier Castellano, went to the lead while Wilko pressed from the inside. Jara took Invasor off the pace and stalked that pair from third.

Noble Causeway and Wilko were heads apart after three-quarters of a mile run in 1:11.29. Leaving the three-eighths pole, Jara asked Invasor for run, and he took control straightening away down the lane. Jara took Invasor in hand before Wild Desert came at him.

McLaughlin had warned Jara - who was riding the horse for the first time - that Invasor had dropped back around the far turn in his last two starts before making another run.

"I just told him not to give up on him if he drops back on the turn," McLaughlin said. "Most horses would keep going backwards. He seems to come on again, but he was always sitting there with a handful of horse."

McLaughlin said he would like to keep Invasor in races of 1 1/4 miles or farther, but said he would consider running him in the $750,000 Whitney Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race at Saratoga on Aug. 5.