Flightline takes off
Christmas came a little late this year for American racing. But only by one day. Making a down payment on the promise he’d shown in his first two starts, Flightline hinted at the possibility of even bigger things to come Sunday with a powerful 11-½-length victory in the Malibu Stakes.
It was a thrilling performance. Odds-on at 2-5, Flightline was a bit slow out of the gate but quickly made the front with a bold move between horses. Midway around the turn, having run a half-mile in a swift but seemingly relaxed :44.48, the Tapit colt started pulling away from the field. Watching him kick clear and set sail down the lane, with his six rivals scattered in his wake, one was reminded of other auspicious debuts on the national stage. Was that Flightline flying down the stretch at Santa Anita? Or was it archival footage of his greatgreat-grandsire Seattle Slew running away with the 1976 Champagne at Belmont Park?
Baby Yoda, who ran with Flightline through most of the far turn, held second by a length over Stiletto Boy. In case there was any doubt, the numbers verified that viewers had indeed witnessed something special. Flightline’s running time of 1:21.37 for seven furlongs was 3.41 seconds faster than Kalypso’s over the same distance one race earlier in the La Brea. His 118 Beyer was the highest figure awarded to any horse all year.
Naturally, people are anxious to know where Flightline will run next. And, just as naturally, the answer is, according to trainer John Sadler, “The next race is up to the horse.” In other words, “We don’t know yet, but even if we did, we probably wouldn’t tell you.”
One possible complication may be that the million-dollar Saratoga yearling competes for five different ownership groups, three in Kentucky (Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine and Woodford Racing) and one
each in California (Hronis Racing) and New York (West Point Thoroughbreds). It looked like one big happy family Sunday in the Santa Anita winner’s circle, but owners may have different ideas about his itinerary going forward.
A second complication is that Flightline turns four today. He did not race at two and missed most of his sophomore year recovering from minor injuries. With no Triple Crown in which to compete, the horse has no obvious goal for the first half of 2022. Lucrative options include the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream (Jan. 29), Saudi Cup (Feb. 26) and Dubai World Cup (Mar. 26).
Before anyone gets too carried away, it is worth keeping in mind that Flightline has raced only three times and has never gone further than seven furlongs. He has certainly looked capable of going further, and his pedigree — the sires of his four grandparents (A.P. Indy, Unbridled, In Excess and Dynaformer) were all outstanding two-turn runners — looks more than promising. But until he confirms on the track that he is more than a top-class sprinter, nothing is certain.
A start in the Pegasus World Cup is highly unlikely for several reasons. The lack of time to prepare, for one, as his connections probably wouldn’t want to throw him in against bearcats like Knicks Go and Life is Good without experience around two turns. Whether the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup are viable options depends on how Flightline does in his next start, whenand wherever that may be. Whatever happens, one can’t help hoping this horse has a chance to show what he can do in longer races and in tougher company here in his home country.