Flag of Honour noses Ice Chocolat in Kennedy Road Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Australian import Flag Of Honour made quite a splash in his second Woodbine start on Saturday when taking the Grade 2 Kennedy Road under a perfect ride from Kazushi Kimura.

The inside was the place to be all afternoon on the Tapeta, and Flag Of Honour saved ground behind the dueling leaders Jazz Hands and Maclean’s Posse in the six-furlong sprint.

The rail opened up in the stretch, and Flag Of Honour closed inside Jazz Hands to hit the front near eighth pole. He held off the wide-closing favorite Ice Chocolat in deep stretch to score by a nose, in a time of 1:08.86.

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Maryland shipper Dream Shake had traffic problems on the turn before rallying outside for third. He was followed by Ironstone, Patches O’Houlihan, Rockcrest, Jazz Hands and Maclean’s Posse.

“I was right behind the front - it was a great trip,” Kimura said. “I felt like I had a ton of horse from the corner. As soon as we (got) room, he exploded.”

Trainer Julia Carey said she had been pointing Flag Of Honour to the Kennedy Road after the son of American Pharoah finished a close third off a six-month layoff with Lasix added in his local debut in a conditioned allowance on Oct. 29.

“He got a lot out of (his comeback), as you can see,” Carey said. “I knew he was a few works short for that race, but I had to run him because this race was the ultimate goal.”

Flag Of Honour ($14.30) earned $105,000 of the $178,150 purse for owners R.M. Wanless and Mrs. J.M. Wanless.

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