Grade I winner Decorate Invader (Declaration of War) looks to secure his second straight win of the season Satuday in Belmont's GII Pennine Ridge S. Following his second-out graduation at Saratoga in August with a win in Woodbine's GI Summer S. in September, the bay checked in fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 1. He kicked off 2020 on a winning note, rallying from last to first in Gulfstream's one-mile Cutler Bay S.
“Decorated Invader is doing great. He's had two very nice breezes at Belmont with Joel [Rosario] aboard and he couldn't be doing better,” Clement told the NYRA notes team. “I think he's a top class horse and the distance should be perfect for him.”
Should Decorated Invader find himself at the back again, he should get plenty of speed to run into here courtesy of Proven Strategies (Sky Mesa), Vanzzy (Verrazano) and Maroon Maniac (Violence). Proven Strategies, who was fourth in the Summer and sixth in the Breeders' Cup, broke his maiden two starts after the World Championships in a state-bred test in Hallandale Mar. 4. Capturing a Florida-bred optional claimer next out Apr. 5, the dark bay was second in the English Channel S. last time May. 2.
Vanzzy enters off a win in Turfway's Rushaway S. on synthetic and has never run on grass before, but also won Woodbine's Display S. on synthetic.
Maroon Maniac was a close second on debut over the Tampa lawn Feb. 12 and wired the field in an off-the-turf event there Apr. 18.
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