Wilgerbosdrift’s exciting young sire Fire Away received some impressive updates to his pedigree on Saturday.
Not only did Fire Away’s paternal half-brother Annapolis run out a facile, five and a half length winner of the G3 Saranac Stakes at Saratoga, Fire Away’s classy half-sister Vigilantes Way captured Saturday’s Violet Stakes in stirring fashion.
A five-year-old daughter of Medaglia D’Oro, Vigilantes Way was a winner of the G3 Eatontown Stakes last summer and added a victory in the local Miss Liberty Stakes and a string of on-the-board finishes against graded and stakes company. She fell a length short of defending her title in the Eatontown two back June 18, and was third in the G3 Matchmaker Stakes last time out.
Under Paco Lopez, Vigilantes Way came with a late rattle to capture Saturday’s 1700m contest by half a length, while taking her tally of wins to seven from 19 starts.
“She’s a little machine,” said conditioner Shug McGaughey.”She’s fun to train. She goes about her business every day. She’slike a robot. When you go to breeze her it’s the same thing.She’s easy to bring around. Not only has she made the Phipps a nice filly, but she is going to make a great broodmare.”
Vigilantes Way is one of three graded stakes winners on the flat for G2 Demoiselle Stakes runner up Salute (by Unbridled). The latter, a daughter of unbeaten Breeders’ Cup winning champion Personal Ensign, is not only dam of Fire Away but also G1 Belmont Derby winner, and G1 sire, Mr Speaker.
Fire Away also shares his outstanding sire War Front with the very classy three-year-old Annapolis, who demolished his rivals when landing Saturday’s Saranac Stakes at Saratoga. Winner of the 2021 G2 Pilgrim Stakes, Annapolis is now likely to be aimed at the $1 million G1 Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes.
Annapolis was part of a banner day for his sire War Front, whose progeny were successful across the globe on Saturday. Other War Front progeny to win stakes contests on Saturday included his daughter Sippinsoda , in the Prix Occitanie-A2I Informatique in France and son Cadre Du Noir, a $1.1 million acquisition from the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, in the Tattersalls Club Cup at Randwick Racecourse in Australia.