War Front had three Graded/Group winners over the weekend, including two at the highest level, as well as two other stakes performers.
U S Navy Flag, the 2-year-old full brother to fellow 2017 G1 winner Roly Poly, won the Juddmonte Middle Park S. (G1) at Newmarket for Coolmore. His stablemate Fleet Review, also by War Front, finished second to give the Claiborne stallion a one-two punch.
“U S Navy Flag is out of a Galileo mare, and they just don’t give up, said winning trainer Aidan O’Brien. “He takes his racing well and is progressing with every run. He is long, and he is powerful. I think he will go down the sprinting route.”
O’Brien also praised Fleet Review, saying, “He ran a stormer. He really came together. He has plenty of speed, and he traveled well.”
Meanwhile, at Santa Anita, Avenge gave War Front another Grade/Group 1 winner on the same day by defending her title in the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1). She posted a three-quarters-of-a-length victory while negotiating a mile and a quarter on turf.
“This feels very good,” said winning trainer Richard Mandella. “This is what we do this for. I was impressed that she settled off the leader, and that she had such a good finish.”
Mandella trains Avenge for Ramona Bass.
In Ireland, War Decree took the Www.koffy.ie Diamond Stakes (G3) in style, winning by two lengths. The 3-year-old War Front colt, who is also trained by O’Brien, is owned by Andrew Rosen, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.
“He’s a horse who has a lot of natural talent, but he can be a little bit tricky at times, and it was nice to get him back to winning ways,” said winning jockey Donnacha O’Brien. “War Decree has a lot of ability but getting it out of him can be hard at times. He loved that surface and hard ground is what he needs.”
Finally, War Front was represented in the Commonwealth Derby presented by the Virginia Equine Alliance and the Virginia HBPA (G3) by Profiteer, who finished third, beaten a mere 1 ¾ lengths.
War Front has 29 stakes horses to his credit this year, including additional G1 winner American Patriot. North America’s #1 sire of stakes winners in 2016, War Front stands for $250,000 at Claiborne.
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