A journey of more than 2,200 miles begins with a single step at dawn on October 23 for Flight route who left coach John Sadler’s Santa Anita . Park base home in a van to Ontario International Airport, fly from California to Louisville International Airport, then land in Lexington before participating in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on November 5 in Keeneland.
The undefeated child of Tapit got off the KC Horse Transport truck at 1:44 p.m. ET with the barn foreman Cesar Aguilar in the van. He was greeted by a group of Breeders’ Cup media members and contacts, along with Woodford Racing co-owner Bill Farish and Lane’s End Farm, where Flightline would eventually retire. Sadler and gymnast Juan Leyva arrived shortly after, landing at Blue Grass Airport.
First under the seasoned hands of Aguilar, then with groom Adolfo Correa taking over, Flightline circled the warehouse in about 45 minutes, pausing to take in its new surroundings with an air of calm and intelligence. This was followed by a routine bath and a little more walking before the pony felt comfortable being carried out of bed in his new stall, which was placed with a special protective cushion that was shipped with him. from California.
Flightline gave fans the ultimate thrill with a 19/4 performance in near-record time during the September 3 TVG Pacific Classic (G1) 1 1/4 mile ride — the Breeders’ Cup Classic distance. This is the first time he has traveled that far, after passing the Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at one mile and in 2021 Malibu Stakes (G1) going seven stages. After answering the gap question in dazzling fashion while being slowed by regular racer Flavien Prat, he is chasing his fourth consecutive 1st place for Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer breeder Wind Equine, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing.
“He looks great, he seems to have moved really well and looks very comfortable,” said Farish. “So far everything has gone very well.
“He’s just a rare horse… the way he does things, you’d think he couldn’t do anything more spectacular than what he’s done – and then he goes and doing something like he did in the Pacific Classic. He’s such a special horse, he’s fun to be around… it’s fun to watch him do what he does.”
Flightline became his penultimate job for the Classic on October 22, drilling six steel pipes at 1:11 on May 4 in Santa Anita. While his last breeze before the race will depend on the weather, he traditionally works on Saturdays. He is expected to go jogging early Monday morning, as long as Sadler likes what he sees as the foal settles in after the transport.
“He is doing a great job at Santa Anita and every week is exciting,” says Sadler. “We’re not trying to go fast, we’re just trying to apply the same type of training we gave him before the Pacific Classic, and he handled it brilliantly.
“(It was a) good job yesterday and (he) looked very bright after work, so jumped on the plane and here we are… The hard training is done, we just wanted to get him used to his surroundings, let him. watch the Keeneland race track, and enjoy this beautiful place.”
