WinStar to Stand National Flag in Ohio

Central Kentucky-based WinStar has decided to expand its hoofprint in the Buckeye State by standing National Flag, a graded stakes-winning colt it raced with China Horse Club and SF Racing. 

National Flag will stand at Blazing Meadows Farm in North Jackson, Ohio, for an introductory fee of $2,500. WinBlaze is the name of the recently formed alliance.

"WinBlaze LLC is something I would hope Ohio would embrace. These are things you see in a good state program. We just purchased 10 mares to move to Ohio and will have a total of 16 there," said WinStar president and CEO Elliot Walden.

Several years ago, WinStar and Tim Hamm's Blazing Meadows entered into a partnership with selected stallions being bred to Hamm's mares to return to Ohio to foal. WinStar began to add its own mares to the formula, and since the foals hit the track with Hamm as trainer, there have been several stakes winners and two state champions.  

"It's a business venture based on two main points," Walden said. "The first is the health of the Ohio program, and it looks to be strong. The second is the opportunity to get National Flag off to a solid start as a stallion. He's a graded-quality horse and a well-made individual who was a $600,000 yearling purchase. As he developed as a 3-year-old, he captured the grade 3 Bay Shore (Stakes) in a quick time over a nice horse in Engage, and we felt he may be our Preakness (Stakes, G1) horse. Sadly, he contracted EPM at the racetrack.

"This partnership provides a great opportunity—not only for us, but it should be exciting for guys up there who breed to race. National Flag will be a part of our 'Dream Big' program. We are offering 20 shares where if a breeder brings two mares (who) have foals by him, they will inherit lifetime breeding rights. We stand his sire, Speightstown , who throws horses that run on all levels—dirt, turf, long, or short. Now we are seeing that he is proving to be a sire of sires."

Sean Tugel, director of bloodstock for WinStar, said, "Speightstown has four sons that have produced grade 1 winners. As a $600,000 yearling, National Flag is a high-quality horse. We went to the Keeneland November Sale to seek mares that specifically fit with him. John Prather, our in-house pedigree analyst, pinpointed the ones we should look at. At the sale, they had to be the proper physical and pass every test. I believe those 10 mares will complement him very well."

Date to Remember, a daughter of Bernardini , is the dam of National Flag and two other winning foals. Bernina Star (Harlan's Holiday) is a multiple graded stakes-placed runner who has earned $249,516, and December Seven (Street Sense ) set a track record at Churchill Downs for 1 3/16 miles in 1:56.60. Date to Remember is a half sister to seven winners, including multiple graded stakes winner and track-record setter Eddington (Unbridled), earner of $1,216,760.