U S Navy Flag notched the second Group 1 victory of his juvenile season by taking the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in England. The War Front colt was forwardly placed throughout before leaving the field behind to win by 2 ½ lengths.
In winning the Dewhurst, U S Navy Flag set a new juvenile course record over 7 furlongs, as his time of 1:22.37 shaved 0.02 seconds off the previous mark, which stood for nine years. Ryan Moore was the winning jockey.
“U S Navy Flag has got better through the year, and we’ve learnt about him,” said Moore. “He’s just like his sister, he’s a very honest horse who keeps improving, and it’s hard to know just how good he could be. He showed he gets seven furlongs well, and I have no doubt that he will get a mile next year.”
Out of the multiple Group 1-winning mare Misty For Me, U S Navy Flag is a full brother to Roly Poly. Between them, the siblings have won five Group 1s since July.
U S Navy Flag is trained by Aidan O’Brien for Coolmore, and the colt came into the Dewhurst off his victory in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (G1) at the end of September. With his win, he became the first horse since Diesis in 1982 to complete the Middle Park-Dewhurst double.
“He is a full brother to Roly Poly, and she was good over six furlongs and was better each time she stepped up in trip,” said O’Brien. “He is the very same, a tough, solid horse with plenty of tactical speed. We are lucky to have a good colt like him.”
War Front has 30 stakes horses to his credit this year, including additional G1 winners American Patriot, Avenge, and War Flag. North America’s #1 sire of stakes winners in 2016, War Front stands for $250,000 at Claiborne.