White Flag Wins Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
White Flag holds sway over Disco Partner in the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship at Aqueduct Racetrack
Robert S. Evans' homebred White Flag benefited from a ground-saving trip under jockey David Cohen Nov. 24 and held off a late charge from stablemate Disco Partner to win the $125,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Breaking from post 8 at odds of 10-1, White Flag was in fourth as Dubini led the field of seven through opening fractions of :22.46 and :45.05. At the three-eighths pole of the six-furlong test, White Flag began to make his run toward the leader, moving four wide as the field passed the quarter pole.
Set down in a full drive at the top of the stretch, White Flag overtook Dubini and Kitten's Cat, who was traveling well along the rail. Post-time favorite Disco Partner, in need of racing room, angled out five wide at the top of lane with White Flag in his sights. White Flag, however, extended away in the final yards to secure the victory by three-quarters of a length. Kitten's Cat held for third behind a final time of 1:07.98 on a firm outer turf course.
"I actually expected him (Disco Partner) to be in front of me, so when he really didn't break all that sharp and didn't really push the pace, I just kind of rode my race like usual," said Cohen. "I definitely wanted to tip out before he had any chance to kind of get his momentum going."
Returning $22.60 for a $2 win wager, the 4-year-old War Front colt earned his fifth victory from 12 starts for trainer Christophe Clement, while increasing his lifetime bankroll to $426,303. He was bred in Kentucky out of the Gone West mare Shared Hope.
"He's always been a nice horse," said Clement. "He won a stakes as a 3-year-old (the 2017 Allied Forces) and has been a bit unlucky this year. The last time, when I ran him in California, he came back with a quarter crack. We took care of that, and he ran very well today. I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to go a touch further, maybe seven-eighths or even a mile."
Disco Partner ran second in his first start since finishing third in the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Churchill Downs.
"I thought he ran very well but the draw was against him. He broke well but they had him wide," said Clement. "He finished and he tried, the race was just a bit against him. He was also the top weight (carrying 126 pounds). But he ran well."