Wilgerbosdrift’s well bred young sire Fire Away is a son of outstanding stallion War Front. The latter made headlines on Sunday when his son Annapolis became his 100th stakes winner when putting up a courageous effort to win the G2 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park.Bass homebred Annapolis was pounded down to clear favoritism in the Pilgrim Stakes off a head-turning, fast-finishing 4 1/2-length debut score at Saratoga Sept. 4, and prompted Portfolio Company here through easy splits of :24.34 and :48.96 as Expected pacesetter Doctor Jeff was ridden with surprising patience after breaking slowly. Annapolis ranged up on even terms with his main rival after a six-furlong split of 1:12.22. Portfolio Company battled back gamely from the fence in the run to the line, but Annapolis always seemed to have a little bit more to give and struck the wire a head in front.
Now unbeaten in two starts, Annapolis became trainer Todd Pletcher’s fourth winner of the Pilgrim Stakes following his game win on Sunday.Another promising two-year-old by War Front, Ancient Rome, caught the eye when running on strongly for third in Sunday’s G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp.The Andre Fabre trained colt had won three in a row prior to Sunday’s race, with Ancient Rome capturing the G3 Prix des Chenes at his penultimate start.
To date War Front, whose runners have earned in excess of $101 million, has been responsible for more than 20 G1 winners including champions Air Force Blue, Brave Anna, Declaration Of War, and US Navy Flag.His talented son Fire Away, whose seven wins included a score in the G3 Dixie Stakes, will be represented by his first yearlings in 2022.