Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey
Pegasus Stud in Colts Neck, N.J., announces the purchase of the Kentucky-bred stallion Invader, who will stand his first season at stud in 2024 at Pegasus Stud, the facility owned by Carmine Spinella.
Invader, a striking son of War Front out of the graded stakes-winning mare Say (Ire), is a full-brother to Grade 1 winner Fog Of War and graded stakes-placed and stakes winner Naval Intelligence. His dam Say (Ire) was a graded stakes winner in the United Kingdom. Invader is from the immediate family of three-time Grade 1 winner Riskaverse.
The deal to acquire Invader was tasked by Carmine Spinella to prominent bloodstock advisor and racing manager Rick Sacco.
Invader has a world class pedigree, excellent conformation and size. The stakes winner hails from a very live female family. His 2-year-old half-sister by Justify recently sold for $556,042 at Goffs,” Sacco said.
“I told Rick that we had to have a stallion that complemented our current stud Sea Wizard,” said Spinella. “I wanted to offer New Jersey breeders a stallion with a top class pedigree for turf. I'm very excited about standing a horse like Invader at my newly acquired farm and to offer this type of pedigree.”
“Sea Wizard displayed his talent on dirt and is off to a fast start at stud in New Jersey,” Spinella added. “The turf program offered for New Jersey-breds at Monmouth Park in overnight and stakes races is awesome.”
A $500,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase in 2018 by Cromwell Bloodstock, Invader broke his maiden by 12-3/4 lengths in a maiden special weight event running one mile at Turfway Park as a 2-year-old for trainer Wesley Ward.
The War Front colt followed up that effort in his next start, as a 3-year-old, with another spectacular Turfway Park score in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes, winning by almost seven lengths.
A month later, Invader finished a game second by a neck in the Grade 3 $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks to Field Boss. It would be the final start of his 3-year-old campaign due to injury.
Invader is currently boarded at Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky where he is test breeding mares. His relocation to Pegasus Stud is expected to be a major boost to the lucrative New Jersey-bred program offered at Monmouth Park.
“I'm committed to the New Jersey-bred program,” Carmine Spinella said. “With the purse incentive structure in New Jersey, there's such good opportunity in the state.”