Personal Flag (USA)
April 15, 1983 – July 18, 2005
Private Account (USA) x Grecian Banner (USA), by Hoist the Flag (USA)
Family 6-a
April 15, 1983 – July 18, 2005
Private Account (USA) x Grecian Banner (USA), by Hoist the Flag (USA)
Family 6-a
While he was not quite the equal of his unbeaten full sister Personal Ensign, Personal Flag was a good racehorse in his own right, winning a pair of Grade 1 races. He became a useful stallion but perhaps was better known for his difficult temperament than for his prowess as a sire.
Race record
24 starts, 8 wins, 4 seconds, 4 thirds, US$1,258,924
1986:
- 2nd Haskell Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Monmouth)
- 3rd Woodward Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Travers Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Dwyer Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Belmont)
1987:
- Won Widener Handicap (Dec) (USA-G1, 10FD, Hialeah)
- Won Queens County Handicap (USA-G3, 9.5FD, Aqueduct)
1988:
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Nassau County Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Brooklyn Handicap (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA-G1, 10FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Excelsior Handicap (USA-G2, 10FD, Aqueduct)
- 3rd Donn Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
Assessments
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1986, 8 pounds below champion Snow Chief.
Rated at 118 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1987, 9 pounds below champion and Horse of the Year Ferdinand.
Rated at 119 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1988, 9 pounds below champion and Horse of the Year Alysheba.
As an individual
A big, powerful, long-headed dark bay or brown horse standing 17 hands at full maturity, Personal Flag was not particularly difficult while racing but evolved a much tougher disposition during his life as a stallion, to the point that he required two handlers (said to have been armed with baseball bats) while at Prestonwood Farm. He was never anyone's pet, but he became a little easier to handle after he was allowed to settle into a set routine at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds with a minimum of disruption by human whims.
As a stallion
Personal Flag sired 418 winners (61.1%) and 34 stakes winners (5.0%) from 684 named foals according to records kept by The Jockey Club. His best runner was Grade 2 winner and millionaire Say Florida Sandy.
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Personal Flag was bred and owned by Ogden Phipps. He was trained by Claude “Shug” McGaughey. He was purchased by John Hettinger following his racing career and entered stud at Hettinger's Akindale Farm in New York in 1989. Five years later, the stallion moved from there to Prestonwood Farm in Kentucky, with Hettinger maintaining an interest in him (which he kept for the rest of Personal Flag's life). He shuttled to Muranna Farm in Australia for the 1997 Southern Hemisphere season. He stood the 1998 Northern Hemisphere season at Sugar Maple Farm in New York and from there moved to McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in 1999. He was pensioned due to declining fertility following the 2004 breeding season and was humanely destroyed due to the infirmities of old age in July 2005.
Pedigree notes
Personal Flag is inbred 5x4 to War Admiral. He is a full brother to 1988 American champion older female and 1996 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Personal Ensign, dam of 1993 Jockey Club Gold Cup (USA-G1) winner Miner's Mark (by Mr. Prospector), multiple Grade 1 winner My Flag (by Easy Goer), and 2001 Oaklawn Handicap (USA-G1) winner Traditionally (by Mr. Prospector). In addition, Personal Ensign is the second dam of 2002 American champion 2-year-old filly Storm Flag Flying, 2014 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) winner Mr. Speaker, 2021 Calvin Houghland Iroquois Stakes (NSA-G1) winner Snap Decision (by Hard Spun), and Grade 3 winners Animal Spirits, Fire Away, Title Ready, Seeking the Title, and Vigilantes Way. Adding to her laurels, Personal Ensign is also the third dam of 2017 Clark Handicap (USA-G1) winner Seeking the Soul, 2023 Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (USA-G1) winner Arabian Lion, Grade 2 winners Interactif and Major Dude, and Grade 3 winners Auntie Joy, Divine Oath, Ocho Ocho Ocho and Teresa Z. Returning to Personal Flag, he is also a full brother to Private Colors, dam of stakes winner Private Dreams (by Johannesburg), second dam of Japanese Group 2 winner God of Chance, and third dam of 2017 Slovakian champion 2-year-old male King Heart, 2015 Gran Premio General San Martin (ARG-G1) winner Giacom, and multiple English Group 2 winner Strong Suit.
Personal Flag's dam, Grecian Banner, is the 1988 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year. A half sister to stakes winner Our Hero (by Bold Ruler),she is also a half sister to Dory (by Right of Way), second dam of 2004 Argentine champion sprinter Forty Doriana, 2000 Premio Carreras Estrellas Sprint (ARG-G1) winner Dionisio Tom, 1991 Las Oaks (CHI-G1) winner Doryanna, and Argentine Group 2 winners Grand Dory and Dorian Gray. Dory is also the third dam of Argentine Group 2 winners Forty Dorico, Dorylda, and Pure Doris and of Chilean Group 2 winner Mi Coqueta. Another half sister to Grecian Banner, Wise Viewer (by Reviewer), is the dam of multiple listed stakes winner Take Account (by Private Account) and the third dam of 2014 Gold Medallion Stakes (SAF-G1) winner Guiness and 2015 Zimbabwe Oaks winner Fig Jam.
Grecian Banner is out of two-time Argentine champion filly Dorine (by Aristophanes). A full sister to Gran Premio 25 de Mayo winner Doretta and to stakes winner Dorileo, Dorine is out of the crack Argentine sprinter Doria (by Advocate) and is a product of the same sire/broodmare sire cross that produced the great Forli. Doria, in turn, is a half sister to Donvina (by Pont l'Eveque), second dam of 1975 Vanity Handicap (USA-G1) winner Dulcia, and to Donnetta (by Pont l'Eveque), second dam of 1980 Clasico Nacional Ricardo Lyon (CHI-G1) winner Maipon and multiple Uruguayan Group 2 winner Donzettino.
Books and media
Personal Flag was one of nearly 100 older Thoroughbreds profiled in photographs and essays in Barbara Livingston's More Old Friends: Visits With My Favorite Thoroughbreds (2007, Blood-Horse Publications).
Last updated: June 10, 2023