White Flag Eyes First Win of the Year in Connaught Cup

Multiple graded stakes-placed White Flag  goes after his seventh career win in the CA$175,000 Connaught Cup Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine July 23.

Sent out by dual Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield, who recently recorded his 2,000th lifetime win, White Flag, an 8-year-old son of War Front  —Shared Hope, will make the 24th start of his career in the seven-furlong turf Connaught, for 3-year-olds and upward.

Bred and owned by Robert S. Evans, the bay heads into Saturday's race, to be contested over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, off a banner effort in the Highlander Stakes (G2T) July 2.

Sent off at 35-1, White Flag, last of 11 at the half-mile juncture, moved into ninth spot at the stretch call, then powered home to finish third, 1 1/4 lengths behind winner Bound for Nowhere .

"I thought it was very good," said Attfield of the Highlander performance. "I was very proud of him. If he had a little bit better trip down the lane, he might have been right there. It was very good for him."

Sporting a 6-2-5 mark from 23 starts, White Flag's last win came on Sept. 19, 2021, a three-quarter length triumph at 6 1/2 panels over an E.P. Taylor turf listed as good.

He contested the first six races of his career in New York, one at Aqueduct and five at Belmont, going on to win three straight, starting with his maiden win on June 14, 2017, and capped off with a victory in the Allied Forces Stakes in September. His first Woodbine appearance came that same year, in October, when he was third in the Nearctic Stakes (G2T).

Since then, White Flag has competed in New York, Florida, Kentucky, and California. His last six engagements have come at Woodbine.

"He's always been a horse that shows up wherever he finds himself, loves his job, and is a real gentleman," praised Attfield.

Just like his trainer?

"Actually, he is a little bit like me because he has terrible feet," quipped Attfield. "That's his biggest problem in his life, what has held him back. But at the moment, we've got them in very good shape. He really is a lovely horse."

Attfield, who won the 1990 Connaught with Izvestia, the 2001 edition with Red Sea, the 2007 running with Eccentric, and 2017 renewal with Tower of Texas, has great admiration for the veteran White Flag.

"He's lovely a horse to be around. You wouldn't know he's a stallion. He's a gentleman and everyone likes riding him. He's just a nice horse."

Attfield will also send out multiple graded stakes winner Shirl's Speight .

The 5-year-old son of Speightstown  , who is 5-0-2 from 11 starts, won the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1T) April 15 at Keeneland.

"He's also a very nice horse," said Attfield, of the Charles Fipke homebred who won three straight races to start his 2022 campaign. "He's always been a consistent runner over the years. Another lovely horse to have in your barn. I've always quite liked him." 

The Connaught also drew other turf talents in the form of graded stakes winners Avie's Flatter , Olympic Runner , Silent Poet , and Tap It to Win . U.S. invaders, graded stakes winner Chewing Gum , stakes winner Surly Furious , and Turn of Events , will all make their first appearance at Woodbine.  

Entries: Connaught Cup S. (G2T)

Woodbine, Saturday, July 23, 2022, Race 8

• Grade IIT
• 7f
• Turf
• $175,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:51 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1March to the Arch (FL)	Patrick Husbands	122	Mark E. Casse	10/1
2	2Turn of Events (KY)	Gary Boulanger	121	George Weaver	30/1
3	3Chewing Gum (KY)	Declan Carroll	124	William I. Mott	6/1
4	4Artie's Storm (ON)	David Moran	124	Paul M. Buttigieg	10/1
5	5Tap It to Win (FL)	Rafael Manuel Hernandez	123	Mark E. Casse	20/1
6	6Vanbrugh (KY)	Sahin Civaci	121	Martin Drexler	30/1
7	7Filo Di Arianna (BRZ)	Kazushi Kimura	121	Mark E. Casse	4/1
8	8Wedgewood (ON)	Jason Hoyte	121	Michael Keogh	30/1
9	9Silent Poet (ON)	Justin Stein	126	Nicholas Gonzalez	8/1
10	10White Flag (KY)	Daisuke Fukumoto	121	Roger L. Attfield	12/1
11	11Surly Furious (KY)	Antonio A. Gallardo	122	Glenn S. Wismer	20/1
12	12Olympic Runner (KY)	Kazushi Kimura	124	Mark E. Casse	15/1
13	13Avie's Flatter (ON)	Luis Contreras	124	Josie Carroll	10/1
14	14Shirl's Speight (KY)	Emma-Jayne Wilson	126	Roger L. Attfield	3/1