It was a third stakes victory for WAR FRONT’s Grade 2-placed son Flavius on Saturday when the Juddmonte homebred won the Listed Fasig-Tipton Lure Stakes.
Jockey Flavien Prat had his eye on the lead from the second the field broke and hustled Flavius to the front in the 1 1/16 mile turf race. Prat took hold as they opened up a length on the field and the 6-year-old comfortably led the way around Saratoga.
Pressured around the turn, Flavius started drawing away again when Prat asked him for more and he started pulling away from all his challengers. Not asked for much in the final furlong, Flavius eased down to win by 1 ½ lengths.
The victory pushed the WAR FRONT son to $691,151 in earnings with four victories and four other top three finishes in 12 starts. Second in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) last year, Flavius was also the winner of last September’s Tourist Mile and the Listed Trigo Stakes in Ireland.
“I am so appreciative for this horse,” said trainer Chad Brown. “Juddmonte are very good clients of mine. They are very patient with this horse and decided to leave him in training for another year. It took a little time to get him back in form, but I loved his race today.”
Flavius is one of two stakes horses for multiple graded stakes winner Starformer alongside Grade 3-placed Oyster Box with the mare’s three foals to race all winners. Starformer is out of Group 1 winner Etoile Montante, who herself is the daughter of successful broodmare Willstar. Willstar’s descendants include Grade 1 winner Country Grammar, Grade 2 winner and multiple Grade 1-placed Bonny South, and Group 3 winner Beauty Lead among others.
Flavius is just another good horse bred on the WAR FRONT x Dynaformer daughter cross with the 10 winners from 13 runners including Group 3 winner Royal Artillery and multiple stakes winner Compelled as other stakes winners bred on the cross. In all, WAR FRONT has 31% stakes performers out of Dynaformer mares.