California Flag becomes the first horse to win the Morvich Stakes three times, as he finished furiously in the latest edition at Santa Anita
Brian Koriner trained 7-year-old gelding, California Flag won the Grade 3, $100,000 Morvich Stakes for the third time at Santa Anita on 10 October, 2011, and in the process became the first horse to win the race three times.
The son of Avenue of Flags, out of Ultra Fleet by Afleet, California Flag drew the number 6 post position over at a distance of 6 ½ furlongs over the Santa Anita Park’s turf course.
The 4-year-old colt, Excessive Passion jumped on to lead the pack right from the get go under jockey Joel Rosario, and went on to set a brisk early pace with fractions of 21.41 seconds for the quarter mile and 43.42 seconds for the half mile distance.
California Flag, who was sent off at 6 to 1 odds stalked Excessive Passion from the beginning and with only an eighth of a mile remaining California Flag made his move.
It was a relaxed approach by California Flag, as he sat behind the leader for most of the race, but after swinging past the turn he was steadied and moved up.
The rally began, and California Flag had the advantage as he battled gamely in the stretch, and he took the latest edition of the race by a narrow margin of half length over Excessive Passion.
In the Southern California oval, Ain’t No Other came in third behind Excessive Passion, who was only another half a length back to California Flag as he held off Dynameaux by a neck.
California Flag won his last race in the Green Flash Handicap on turf at Del Mar back on 18 August, 2010, when he finished a nose ahead of the dead heating duo of My Summer Slew and Quick Enough.
Prior to the Morvich Stakes, the Hi Card Ranch owned gelding had only two races to show for in the 2011 season, starting on turf in the Kerlan Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park on 3 July, 2011, where he finished 8th.
His second start was in the Pirate’s Bounty Stakes at Del Mar on 7 September, where he rolled in fifth, as in the Morvich Stakes he marked his first win of the season.
Tags: