Undefeated Flightline dominates in $6M event
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Running the biggest race of a brief career, Flightline left no doubt about this year’s top thoroughbred.
The unbeaten colt posted another dominant run, overtaking Life Is Good entering the top of the stretch and pulling away to an 8¼-length victory in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday at Keeneland, and all but locking up honors as Horse of the Year.
“Brilliant is his normal,” trainer John Sadler said. “He didn’t disappoint, and never has . ... This race, he’s just a remarkable, remarkable horse.”
The 4-year-old bay colt entered the Grade 1 race 5-0 lifetime with an average victory margin of nearly 13 lengths, making him the overwhelming 3-5 favorite over the eighthorse field that included Kentucky Derby upset winner Rich Strike and 5-1 second choice Epicenter. Flightline went off at 2-5 from the No. 4 post and he and Todd Pletcher-trained Life Is Good, at 8-1, separated themselves from the pack with a blistering pace and building a nine-length gap through the far turn.
Sadler’s pupil was moving up at that point and eventually passed Life Is Good before the stretch and quickly building a two-length gap that steadily grew from there. Olympiad (10-1) soon overtook Life Is Good with Bob Baffert-trained Taiba gaining, though both were far behind the horse who has earned lofty comparisons to legendary Triple Crown champion Secretariat.
His remarkable run in the Classic will likely ratchet up the praise, and the trainer didn’t shy away from it.
“He’s just that rare horse that happens every 20 or 30 years,” Sadler added. “One of the best American racehorses we’ve seen in a long, long time. And I’m talking back to Secretariat, Seattle Slew, you go through the list.
“What I try to be is a good steward to him. If you’re good with your horse, he’ll be good with you.”
Ridden by Flavien Part, Flightline covered the 1¼ mile in 2:00.05 and paid $2.88, $2.92 and $2.30. His winning time was just off Authentic’s record of 1:59.60 set here two years ago.
Olympiad returned $12.38 and $7.16 for place and Taiba paid $4 to show. Rich Strike was fourth and Life Is Good fifth.
Epicenter, considered a strong Horse of the Year favorite with four wins and three seconds, was pulled up by jockey Joel Rosario in the backstretch with an injured right forelimb. He walked into a van and was taken to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for evaluation.
While Pletcher came up short in the Classic, filly Malathaat provided day’s most exciting finish by winning the $2 million Distaff by nose over Stripe and Clairiere and in a three-wide photo finish.
The 2021 3-year-old champion filly and 3-1 choice surged from the middle between the final turns and was on the outside among five horses in the stretch before she broke free with Clairiere to her left and Blue Stripe on the rail over the final 100 yards. Malathaat eventually caught Clairere and nosed past Blue Stripe at the wire, which replay confirmed.
Third in last year’s Distaff, Malathaat this time paid $7.76, $4.04 and $3 for her fourth win this year and 10th in 13 career races. Blue Stripe was second by a nose over Clairiere, who beat Malathaat’s stablemate Nest (9-5) by 3¼ lengths.
The nine-race Breeders’ Cup card went off with partly sunny skies and stiff crosswinds blowing across the infield and backstretch. It became more overcast as the Classic neared but without precipitation.
Most importantly, the grandstands were full, a stark and welcome contrast to the 2020 edition held here without spectators because of the COVID-19 pandemic.