Flightline won the title of Horse of the Year
Exhibited excellence from one mile to 1 1/4 mile, and was marked by a long 8 1/4 win in the November 5 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland, Flight route soared to the top of the Eclipse Awards as North America’s Horse of the Year 2022.
The son of faucet was honored January 26 at The Breakers Palm Beach in South Florida, also received the Eclipse Award as last year’s older men’s champion, easily overtaking life is good and others in that category, just as he did in the Horse of the Year race.
Although many expressed disappointment this fall when the horse retired to study at Lane’s End Farm, after just two racing seasons and six starts, Flightline has given riders plenty of appreciation in the race. its limited occurrences. He ranked himself in the final tally, just as he was when he was on the track throughout his career and as a 4-year-old in 2022.
“He has to be there in his all-time best form,” Lane’s End’s Bill Farish said at Keeneland a day after his overwhelming win over the Classic Olympic .
Through Woodford Racing affiliated with Lane’s End, Farish is part of a Flightline racing partnership, along with Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds and Summer Wind Equine by Jane Lyon, who bred it he. West Point purchased the foal for $1 million in 2019 from Lane’s End consignment at The Saratoga Sale, a select Fasig-Tipton annual sale in Saratoga Springs, NY, and an ownership partnership has quickly established, with Hronis Racing eventually owning the largest share of the ponies.
He was coached by John Sadler and was always ridden by Flavien Prat.
In addition to the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2022, Flightline won the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park and Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar. He retired with earnings of $4,514,800, most of which came last year.
Flightline soars over the line in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park
In the Metropolitan Handicap, he overcame a rough start to take home a convenient six-mile win with a mile in 1:33.59. The disruption to his training schedule after he strained his ankle at the start of the year meant he had to race the Met Mile after a five-and-a-half month break, a challenge that combines cross-country and long-distance running. Street.
“Here’s the thing — to him, he’s very special. You really wouldn’t try this with an ordinary horse, but he’s no ordinary horse. He’s a special horse. ,” Sadler said in the lead-up to the Met Mile.
With his training going smoothly leading up to the Pacific Classic, Flightline ran even better in that 1/4 mile race, his first start by about two turns. A long lead after six stretches in 1:09.97, he led 10 distances with a mile in 1:34.47 and even when Prat knocked him out late, he finished 19 1/4 of the way before 2022 Dubai World Cup Winner (G1) national grammar . Flightline stops the clock at 1:59.28, just 0.17 candy ride shares and track record, achieved in the 2003 Pacific Classic.
Flightline dominates the Pacific Classic at Del Mar
“That blew us all away,” Farish said this fall.
Lyon, present to witness his record-breaking Pacific Classic win, noticed her vision blurred that afternoon.
“I was just trying not to start crying so I couldn’t see him when he crossed the finish line,” she said. “You can’t expect this. You can’t wish for it. And for it to happen and for him to continue to grow as he is, better and better and better, it’s just been a miracle.”
While the Pacific Classic was his fastest race and gave him the biggest winning streak, his Breeders’ Cup Classic was equally excellent, with him dominating after the chase. the taxing fractions proved too much for the Life Is Good acceleration to sustain over 1 1/4 mile. The second, a four-time 1st class winner, became tired after setting up sprint-like splits of : 22.55, :45.47 and 1:09.27, however the requirements were The start of the race didn’t detract from Flightline’s performance after he raced against a tight number of participants.
“They put it down,” said Terry Finley of West Point Purebred.
Reaching the quarterfinals, Flightline took a one-mile lead at 1:34.58, eclipsing 1:35.33 for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). From there, he took a 5 1/2-length lead on the eighth post and took an even wider lead at the string. He hit a near-record 2:00.05 for 1 1/4 mile at Keeneland.
Flightline goes home in Breeders’ Cup Classic
Behind him were seven other 1st grade winners, and the crowd of 45,973 at the Lexington Oval Office cheered as he opened. They continued this round of applause as Prat took a moment to pause the Victory Flyway in front of the stands en route to the winners’ circle, with many fans stopping to take photos or videos on their phones. their mobile.
Hronis Racing’s Kosta Hronis credited Sadler and assistant coach and gymnast Juan Leyva for their patience and coaching with Flightline, who was initially keen on his coaching. .
“He wants to run at full speed all the time, and that’s hard to do if you’re going to run a mile and a half,” he said the day after the Classics while outside Flightline’s warehouse in Keeneland. “They had to teach him how to be a racehorse, and that’s what Juan and John did. It took a lot of work, and they put in all the time and effort to get it done. “
Flightline connections enjoy trophy presentation for Breeders’ Cup Classic
Flightline had never raced at age 2 and only competed three times in both 3rd and 4th, partly due to minor setbacks but also because Sadler wanted to remove races from the uncanny fast runner. Despite the predictions of some pictorial experts that the lightning-fast pony would “jump up”, a racing term that means backtrack, this horse excelled from start to finish. his short career.
“Excellence is his usual thing,” Sadler said after Breeders’ Cup. “He hasn’t let anyone down. He has never disappointed.”
Along with being Tapit’s son, Flightline seemed to have all the traits to be a successful stallion, perhaps with the ability to breed horses with the speed and athleticism he could. Now, that has earned him the title of Horse of the Year 2022. He represents an advertised research fee of $200,000 this year.
Flightline at Lane’s End
Hronis called him a “hero” and “champion” shortly after Breeders’ Cup.
“He’s going to be a favorite in the Dirt Mile, Classic, Sprint, maybe a grass race today,” he said. “He was America’s horse. He did everything he could. He overcame every challenge.”
Sadler shared those feelings after the race.
“How do you describe greatness? This is a rare horse that happens every 20-30 years,” Sadler said.
Flightline appears on the cover of the November 2022 issue of BloodHorse magazine
Flightline returns triumphantly on the December 2022 cover of BloodHorse Magazine