It’s thrilling when two horses duel down the stretch, especially in a million-dollar race! Last year, the determined Big Invasion finished second in the 16th running of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint by a “diminishing neck” to Nobals. But that’s not the end of the story!

The bay 5-year-old horse is returning to the 2024 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar as a celebrated “millionaire” with lifetime earnings of $1,114,832. As part of the drama that only the Breeders’ Cup can provide, he has some “unfinished business” and will be gallantly circling “where the turf meets the surf” once again in the $1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Saturday, Nov 2.

Big Invasion winning the Harvey Pack Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. (Eclipse Sportswire)

He was purchased in 2020 by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing at the Keeneland September yearling sale for $72,000. Dean Reeves remembers the first time he saw Big Invasion. “He is a good-looking horse. He was so well-balanced. He has good hips and shoulders. I like a horse that when you look at him, it looks like everything fits. He’s not too long, not too short. He was just very well developed. You could tell from his motion when he was going to run, it was going to be nice. He is just so well built.”

Reeves was standing with trainer Christophe Clement discussing the possibility of names and wanted to use “Invasion” to honor his sire “Declaration of War.”  Clemente recommended adding the word “Big” as it “works with everything” and that’s how Big Invasion was named.

Out of the winning Curlin mare Curls in Place, Big Invasion won his second career start at age 3 in 2022 and six of his eight races that year. His career wins have included the 2024 Harvey Pack Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes in 2023 at Woodbine, the 2023 Silks Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park, the 2022 Mahony Stakes at Saratoga, the Grade 3 Quick Call Stakes Presented by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation in 2022 at Saratoga, the 2022 Paradise Creek Stakes at Belmont Park, the 2022 William Walker Stakes at Churchill Downs, and the 2022 Texas Glitter Stakes at Gulfstream. In addition, he has raced at Aqueduct, Royal Ascot, and Kentucky Downs.

Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint contender Big Invasion.

He is trained by the Christophe Clement. Assistant trainer Miguel Clement gives the following insight into Big Invasion. “He's very easy to work with. He's got a great disposition. He loves taking naps. He's very laid back at the barn. At the races, he’s quite the opposite and becomes full of life in a good way. It's funny because he's the horse that you trust. He’s very kind and easy to work with. He would sleep all day in his round pen in Florida and that’s the big thing that he loves to do.

“Morning training is amazing. He’s sweet, kind, and easy to work with. At race time when he gets a jock on his back, he gets on the muscle. He’s showed a tremendous amount of ability from day one. We’ve liked him from the get-go. He’s always had class. It's been a lot of fun to train him. He’s our dream to train him. He shows up every time. He’s sound. He’s doing very well, and we are excited.”

The joy of racing is important to Dean and Patti Reeves. In 2007, they met future horse partners Bob and Esther Ades while vacationing in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Patti says that they “were long-time horse-racing enthusiasts from the New York area” and already had a starter in the 1992 Kentucky Derby with the ownership group of Florida Derby winner Technology. It was from this chance meeting that the Reeves entered the world of horse racing, and the friendship expanded to purchasing racehorses.

Dean explained, “Esther and Bob Ades are the reason we got into horse racing. Bob offered to go with me to the Keeneland sale to show me the ropes, and that is how we got into the business. He introduced us to Jerry Bailey, who recommended Tim and Kathy Ritvo as trainers, and we began a journey that changed our lives.” From this, the Ades and Reeves partnership was born.

Bob Ades sadly passed away in 2016 from a heart complication. Dean misses his friend and remembers many of their horse racing adventures “Bob was another kind of person that viewed a horse on gut feelings. He was a good handicapper. He taught me a lot when I started. He knew a lot of people and he saved us from a lot of early mistakes. He was able to guide us in the business side of it to the people we ought to be doing business with. He knew Jerry Bailey well and directed us to Kathy and Tim Ritvo. Which was life-changing.”

Esther Ades with a racehorse named Miracle Girl. (Courtesy of Dean and Patti Reeves )

Patti and Esther immediately bonded through their love of both horses and jewelry. Patti remembers her beautiful diamond earrings. An elegant woman, Esther always gave her family a reason to smile. She passed away from pancreatic cancer in December 2022. She had dedicated her life to helping and inspiring others. Her family said, “Those who knew her ‘basked in her light.’ ” 

Her son Michael said, “Since her untimely passing, my brothers and I have often discussed the ways we can continue to honor her life. Knowing how she lived her life, we came to the conclusion that she would want us to give comfort, happiness and hope to others. … With this in mind, we created The Esther Ades Pancreatic Cancer Innovation Fund in partnership with Northwell Health and its cancer-research center in New Hyde Park, Long Island [N.Y.].”

Dean and Patti Reeves are pledging a percentage of Big Invasion’s winnings to the Esther Ades Pancreatic Cancer Innovation Fund. They thought that this would be a lovely way to honor their friends. “Esther and Bob loved to handicap the horses, and we knew they would love being a part of this year’s Breeders’ Cup.

The track is a wonderful place to gather friends and family to experience the emotion and beauty of horse racing. Enjoy the company of your loved ones around you as you hear the “Call to the Post!” The Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar will provide a historical background for Big Invasion’s seasoned campaign into the battlefield once again with those who love him encouraging him on. As the horses charge to the finish line, it’s a good time to be thankful as you cheer on the warrior!