By Gary King
U S Navy Flag boasts one of the hottest families in the stud book. By War Front, out of the four-time Group 1 winner Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), and a full-brother to three-time Group 1 winner Roly Poly, his pedigree page makes for impressive reading. TDN's Gary King recently sat down with Coolmore's Director of Sales David O'Loughlin to talk about the 2017 European champion 2-year-old.
GK: U S Navy Flag was such a tough 2-year-old. Could you comment on his exploits as a juvenile?
DOL: He was extremely tough and consistent. He's got such a tough pedigree–his mother Misty For Me was the same, a very tough mare. He was precocious and very genuine, and to go and win the G1 Middle Park and the G1 Dewhurst in the same season was quite incredible. I think he's the first horse since Diesis (GB) to do that.
GK: And then he went on to win the G1 July Cup at three.
DOL: He trained on very well. He ran very well in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas like he had the race won but he just didn't get home, he didn't get the trip. He was just naturally so fast, electric from the gate, made his own running and never got caught in the July Cup.
GK: The July Cup is historically one of Europe's best 'stallion making' races. It must have been a great addition to his CV.
DOL: It's probably the pinnacle sprint in Europe. It comes a month after Ascot, and it's where the best 3-year-olds will meet the best older horses. You can't get a better setting, a fairer track and over the years it's been a great source of stallions.
Danehill didn't win it, but he nearly won it. Anabaa, Starspangledbanner, Mozart, and Oasis Dream all won it. So it's always been a very good race and it's a great meeting; with a huge amount of breeders there so a horse always has a good profile after winning it.
GK: What's U S Navy Flag like physically?
DOL: He's got a lot of quality. Very typical of War Front, and a lovely mover. His mother, Misty For Me, is in there too, she's a typical Galileo mare.
It's an international family and these international horses are what people want at the moment. A horse like U S Navy Flag has that profile, he gives breeders a great chance of producing that international, fast, quality, class horse.
GK: He looks like he's settling in nicely at Coolmore. How has he been received by breeders?
DOL: Very well. Speed horses–fast horses–there's always a great demand for them. His three Group 1s were at six and seven furlongs, so that's what so many commercial breeders are looking for. And he has the pedigree and physical to back it up. If you write down what you want in a young stallion, or what's going to be a popular stallion, he has all the qualities one needs.
GK: Being a son of War Front out of a talented Galileo mare is clearly a potent combination.
DOL: War Front for so long has been one of the most valuable stallions in the world–he's one of the most expensive horses to breed to. His stock sell incredibly well at the sales, so this gives European breeders a chance to breed to one of his best sons.
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