SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. _ A battle for barn supremacy as well as overall leadership in the East's 3-year-old male turf division is on the line Saturday at Saratoga when Decorated Invader and Gufo meet for the first time in the $500,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational.
Both Decorated Invader and Gufo are trained by Christophe Clement, who has done a good job keeping them separated to this point. Decorated Invader, a son of Declaration of War, is 3 for 3 this year with stakes wins in the Cutler Bay at Gulfstream Park, the Pennine Ridge at Belmont Park, and the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame here July 18.
Gufo also is 3 for 3 this year _ and has won four straight overall _ with victories in the English Channel at Gulfstream in May and the Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park on July 4.
The decision by Arlington Park to do away with its summer stakes program, including the Grade 1 Secretariat for 3-year-olds on turf, has left a dearth of opportunities in the division.
"I don't think they have to run against each other again, but this was the logical spot for the two of them now," Clement said.
Decorated Invader has proven versatile, coming from well off the pace in the Cutler Bay while attending a slow pace in the Pennine Ridge. Clement is hopeful that the 1 3/16 miles of the Saratoga Derby is within his scope.
"Decorated Invader has been so impressive going a mile and a sixteenth you have to have a small question mark, but the other day when he won going a mile and an eighth, I thought he won well and I thought he won going away," Clement said, referring to the Hall of Fame. "Decorated Invader always seems to be the best horse at every part of the race when he runs."
Gufo has always given Clement the impression that more distance would be ideal, something he demonstrated in the Kent at 1 [ miles when he did his best running in the final furlong.
"The thing with Gufo is when you push the 'go' button you don't get an immediate answer," Clement said. "The best part of his races all year long is his last eighth. Sometimes you worry at the quarter pole because you think he's got too much to do, but he always seems to get there."
Decorated Invader will break from post 2 under Joel Rosario. Gufo will break from post 5 under John Velazquez.
The two have worked together for the last several weeks with little separating them.
In July 2019, Field Pass beat Decorated Invader by three-quarters of a length in a maiden race going 1 1/16 miles. This year, Field Pass has won 4 of 5 starts, including the Audubon Stakes at Churchill in June when he was loose on the lead and the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland when coming from off the pace.
Field Pass goes out Saturday for trainer Mike Maker, who through Thursday's card was 10 for 42 in turf races at Saratoga this meet, including four stakes victories.
Domestic Spending, trained by Chad Brown, won his first two starts before finishing third behind Decorated Invader in the Hall of Fame. Domestic Spending was off slowly in that race and may have been farther out of it than Brown would have liked. Still, he was beaten only 1 \ lengths.
"He was pretty far back," Brown said. "I think he's looking for more distance. I hope he gets a little pace to run at. He seems like an improving horse. We've always liked him. I just think it's worth a shot."
Irad Ortiz Jr., who has won on Gufo and Colonel Liam, is riding Domestic Spending, on whom he also has won.
Trainer Todd Pletcher is taking two shots with No Word and Colonel Liam. No Word, a son of Silent Name, won his debut over this course last year and most recently won a 1 [-mile allowance at Belmont Park.
Colonel Liam, a son of Liam's Map who brought $1.2 million as a yearling, made a smart-looking turf debut, winning a first-level allowance going 1 1/16 miles here July 22. He earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.
Javier Castellano picks up the mount on Colonel Liam.
The pace in the race figures to be provided by Get Smokin, who opened up a 7 {-length advantage in the Hall of Fame, and while no match for Decorated Invader held on for second by a nose over Domestic Spending.
Bama Breeze, beaten only 1 \ lengths when encountering traffic issues finishing sixth in the Transylvania, ships in for Rusty Arnold.
