Avenue of Flags to Winners Circle in NM

Avenue of Flags, sire of this year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner California Flag, will stand in 2010 for a private fee at James Wasson’s Winners Circle Bloodstock Farms near Las Cruces, N.M. He formerly stood at Chris and Tina Hourigan’s Hourigan Horse Farm near Anthony, N.M.

Avenue of Flags, who stood at Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm near Ramona, Calif., the year California Flag was conceived, has sired 24 stakes winners and the earners of $15.8 million.

California Flag, one of his sire’s eight graded winners, is unbeaten in 2009. He also has captured the Morvich Handicap (gr. IIIT) for the second consecutive year and the Green Flash Handicap on grass.

Twenty-one-year-old Avenue of Flags (Seattle Slew--Beautiful Glass, byPass the Glass) also is the sire grade I winners Joey Francoand Notable Career, plus grade II winners Belle’s Flag, Fleet Lady, and Victor Avenue.