Fort Washington Full Sister to Enter Ring During Book 3

A full sister to this summer's Arlington Million (G1T) hero Fort Washington will step through the ring during the second session of Book 3 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Sept. 14. The War Front filly, offered as Hip 1843, is consigned by Mill Ridge Sales on behalf of Peter Brant's White Birch Farm. Brant also bred and raced her grade 1-winning full brother Fort Washington until he sold for $260,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Horses of Racing Age Sale. Fort Washington has been enjoying a breakout season in 2025 for Magic Cap Stables and trainer Shug McGaughey, capturing the Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T) and Dinner Party Stakes (G3T) before scoring his top-level victory in the Arlington Million at Colonial Downs Aug. 9. The son of War Front recently finished sixth in the Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T) Sept. 6 at Kentucky Downs. "Fort Washington is a very exciting horse," Mill Ridge's Price Bell said. "I don't think he took to Kentucky Downs, but he certainly has a heck of a body of work and hopefully a few more good runs in him. We're hopeful." A stakes winner at ages 3, 5, and 6, the late closing turf specialist has banked $1,378,016 from 29 starts. Hip 1843 is the sixth foal out of the Turtle Bowl (IRE) mare Azaelia, who won twice and was group 3-placed in her native France before running under Brant and Allen Stable's colors in the U.S. "She's a very War Front-like filly, especially with that white blaze. She's got a really nice hip and strut to her," Bell said of Hip 1843. "Mr. Brant raises some good horses. We had her since this spring. She's been really great to be around, and I'm really pleased with how she's coming into the sale. She has a great attitude." Bell is optimistic about Claiborne stallion War Front's future as a broodmare sire. The 23-year-old son of Danzig is nearing the end of a storied career in the breeding shed as the sire of 26 grade 1 winners. "War Front is a great sire," Bell said. "He's done a lot as a sire, and he's just starting as a broodmare sire. He had started off at such a low original stud fee—$10-$15,000, I believe—so his best mares are now coming through with their foals." War Front, who stood the 2025 breeding season for $75,000, is currently represented by this year's Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) winner Liguria and the stakes-winning 2-year-old Two Out Hero, who finished third in the Sept. 13 Summer Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine. War Front's sons at stud include leading third-crop sire Omaha Beach, 2019 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner and top 10 second-crop sire War of Will, established Kentucky sire The Factor, and grade 1 winner Annapolis, whose first foals were born this year.