In his Champagne and Bay Shore runs, Hoist the Flag totally outclassed colts like Jim French, Bold Reason, Good Behaving, etc., who would go on to win and place in races like the Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial, Kentucky Derby, Belmont, and Travers. There was talk that if Travers winner Bold Reason won the 10f Woodward over his elders as well, he would have had Horse of the Year and champion 3yo locked up. But he didn't - Cougar II ran away and hid from that field, so Ack Ack got HoY and Canonero II (laid up after the Belmont) got top 3yo. Hoist the Flag had made the cream of his crop look like overmatched allowance horses.
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