Invasor (ARG)
August 3, 2002 – Living
Candy Stripes (USA) x Quendom (ARG), by Intérprete (ARG)
Family 1-o
August 3, 2002 – Living
Candy Stripes (USA) x Quendom (ARG), by Intérprete (ARG)
Family 1-o
Almost forgotten in the hoopla surrounding the anticipated “East versus West” Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1) duel between the top 3-year-old colt Bernardini and the top California campaigner Lava Man, Invasor reminded everyone why it is unwise to overlook a horse beaten only once in his career and coming in off three consecutive Grade 1 wins with impressive speed figures. Already a Horse of the Year in Uruguay, Invasor nailed down American Horse of the Year honors with an inexorable drive that took him past Bernardini to finish with his ears pricked. He began the following year in championship style with wins in the 2007 Donn Handicap (USA-G1) and Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) before a training injury forced him into retirement. Unfortunately, his stud career has so far failed to come close to matching his racing career.
Race record
12 starts, 11 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, US$7,804,070 (including earnings in Uruguay and Dubai)
2005:
2006:
2007:
Honors
Assessments
Highweighted at 129 pounds on the 2006 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for his Breeders' Cup Classic performance, 1 pound more than the best ratings for second-place Bernardini (Travers Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup, both USA-G1) and Discreet Cat (Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile, USA-G1).
Earned a Timeform rating of 129 pounds for 2007, 2 pounds below Manduro.
Rated at 129 pounds on the 2007 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for the Northern Hemisphere for his performance in the Emirates Dubai World Cup, 2 pounds below overall highweight Manduro but tied with Curlin (who earned his rating in the Breeders' Cup Classic) for best on dirt.
As an individual
A bay, Invasor was light-framed and gangly as a young racehorse but became more muscular as he matured. He has an excellent shoulder and a straight hind leg. A horse of great presence, he is intelligent and enjoys human attention although he is prone to biting. As a racehorse, he tended to gallop with his head high and was inclined to be mischievous and looking for opportunities to do as he pleased while at exercise. He is fond of peppermints.
As a stallion
To date, Invasor has been a great disappointment with only six stakes winners to his credit as of August 2021.
Notable progeny of daughters
Going Global (IRE)
Connections
Bred by Haras Clausan (now Haras Santa Ines), Invasor was owned by Pablo Hernandez and brothers Juan Luis and Luis Alberto Vio Bado, who purchased Invasor for the equivalent of US$20,000. After Invasor's sweep of the Uruguayan Triple Crown, they sold the colt to Shadwell Stable (Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum) for a reported US$1.4 million. Invasor was trained in Uruguay by Anibal San Martin and in North America by Kiaran McLaughlin. Retired June 23, 2007, after fracturing a sesamoid while training at Belmont Park for the Suburban Handicap (USA-G1); he had previously injured the same ankle as a young horse in Uruguay, requiring surgery. Invasor entered stud in 2008 in Kentucky at Shadwell Farm. He began a three-year deal to stand the Southern Hemisphere season at Haras Cuatro Pietras, Uruguay, in 2015.
Pedigree notes
Invasor is outcrossed through five generations. He is out of unraced Quendom, whose full sister, 1999 Gran Premio Eliseo Ramirez (ARG-G1) winner Reina Victoriosa, is the dam of listed stakes winners More Than Regal and Ready Ruler (both by More Than Ready). Quendom is also a full sister to Argentine Grade 2 winner Qualified.
Sired by two-time Argentine champion Intérprete, Quendom is out of Queen of Victory, whose sire, 1976/1977 Argentine champion 2-year-old male Cipayo was a three-time Argentine champion sire and led the Argentine broodmare sire five times. The next dam in Invasor's tail-female line, Twitch Crown, is by the Hoist the Flag horse Crown Thy Good and is out of stakes-placed Twins (by 1960/1861 Argentine champion older male Atlas), whose other foals include 1984 Gran Premio La Mission (ARG-G1) winner Twine (by Cipayo), Argentine stakes winner Tusa (by Yonder) and stakes-placed Twich (by Cipayo), dam of multiple Argentine Group 3 winner Iron Horse (by El Serrano).
Books and media
Footage of Invasor’s victory in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic can be accessed at the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/invasor-arg).
Fun facts
Last updated: August 22, 2021
Race record
12 starts, 11 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, US$7,804,070 (including earnings in Uruguay and Dubai)
2005:
- Won GP Polla de Potrillos (Uruguayan Two Thousand Guineas) (URU-G1, 1600mD, Maroñas)
- Won GP Jockey Club (URU-G1, 2000mD, Maroñas)
- Won GP Nacional--Copa Uruguay Natural (Uruguayan Derby) (URU-G1, 2400mD, Maroñas)
- Won Clasico Ensayo (URU-G3, 1500mD, Maroñas)
2006:
- Won Pimlico Special (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Whitney Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- Won Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
2007:
- Won Donn Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1, 2000mD, Nad al Sheba)
Honors
- National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2013)
- Uruguayan Horse of the Year (2005)
- Eclipse Award, American Horse of the Year (2006)
- Uruguayan champion 3-year-old male (2005)
- Eclipse Award, American champion older male (2006)
Assessments
Highweighted at 129 pounds on the 2006 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for his Breeders' Cup Classic performance, 1 pound more than the best ratings for second-place Bernardini (Travers Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup, both USA-G1) and Discreet Cat (Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile, USA-G1).
Earned a Timeform rating of 129 pounds for 2007, 2 pounds below Manduro.
Rated at 129 pounds on the 2007 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings for the Northern Hemisphere for his performance in the Emirates Dubai World Cup, 2 pounds below overall highweight Manduro but tied with Curlin (who earned his rating in the Breeders' Cup Classic) for best on dirt.
As an individual
A bay, Invasor was light-framed and gangly as a young racehorse but became more muscular as he matured. He has an excellent shoulder and a straight hind leg. A horse of great presence, he is intelligent and enjoys human attention although he is prone to biting. As a racehorse, he tended to gallop with his head high and was inclined to be mischievous and looking for opportunities to do as he pleased while at exercise. He is fond of peppermints.
As a stallion
To date, Invasor has been a great disappointment with only six stakes winners to his credit as of August 2021.
Notable progeny of daughters
Going Global (IRE)
Connections
Bred by Haras Clausan (now Haras Santa Ines), Invasor was owned by Pablo Hernandez and brothers Juan Luis and Luis Alberto Vio Bado, who purchased Invasor for the equivalent of US$20,000. After Invasor's sweep of the Uruguayan Triple Crown, they sold the colt to Shadwell Stable (Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum) for a reported US$1.4 million. Invasor was trained in Uruguay by Anibal San Martin and in North America by Kiaran McLaughlin. Retired June 23, 2007, after fracturing a sesamoid while training at Belmont Park for the Suburban Handicap (USA-G1); he had previously injured the same ankle as a young horse in Uruguay, requiring surgery. Invasor entered stud in 2008 in Kentucky at Shadwell Farm. He began a three-year deal to stand the Southern Hemisphere season at Haras Cuatro Pietras, Uruguay, in 2015.
Pedigree notes
Invasor is outcrossed through five generations. He is out of unraced Quendom, whose full sister, 1999 Gran Premio Eliseo Ramirez (ARG-G1) winner Reina Victoriosa, is the dam of listed stakes winners More Than Regal and Ready Ruler (both by More Than Ready). Quendom is also a full sister to Argentine Grade 2 winner Qualified.
Sired by two-time Argentine champion Intérprete, Quendom is out of Queen of Victory, whose sire, 1976/1977 Argentine champion 2-year-old male Cipayo was a three-time Argentine champion sire and led the Argentine broodmare sire five times. The next dam in Invasor's tail-female line, Twitch Crown, is by the Hoist the Flag horse Crown Thy Good and is out of stakes-placed Twins (by 1960/1861 Argentine champion older male Atlas), whose other foals include 1984 Gran Premio La Mission (ARG-G1) winner Twine (by Cipayo), Argentine stakes winner Tusa (by Yonder) and stakes-placed Twich (by Cipayo), dam of multiple Argentine Group 3 winner Iron Horse (by El Serrano).
Books and media
Footage of Invasor’s victory in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic can be accessed at the Breeders’ Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/invasor-arg).
Fun facts
- Invasor's name means “Invader” in Spanish.
- Invasor is the first Thoroughbred to have won Horse of the Year honors in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
- Had Pablo Hernandez not been diverted from a planned trip to Haras La Biznaga by airplane engine trouble, he would never have come to own Invasor in partnership with the Vio Bado brothers. Because of the plane trouble, a friend offered to drive Hernandez to visit several farms in the Buenos Aires area—among them, Haras Clausen, where Invasor was bred and raised and where Hernandez fell in love with the colt on sight.
- The front lobby of Uruguay's main race track, Hipodromo National de Maroñas, is decorated with a bust of Invasor, still considered the greatest racehorse in Uruguayan history.
- Both Argentinians and Uruguayans saluted Invasor as the “Horse of the Rio Plata” (the river that forms the border between Argentina and Uruguay).
Last updated: August 22, 2021