Flightline’s dominant Breeders Cup win puts him in Secretariat territory
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Flightline was expected to put on a performance for the ages in the Breeders Cup Classic, and the sport’s newest champion exceeded expectations. His 8 1/4 length victory in the $6 million race justified comparisons to Secretariat, who has long been considered the greatest horse of the last 50 years.
Pressed hard by Life Is Good at the start of the race, Flightline and jockey Flavien Prat was content to sit in second place for the majority of the race. However, when the pair reached the top of the stretch at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, Flightline turned on his speed and went by his rival like a bullet.
Flightline’s victory was by the largest margin in the history of the Breeders Cup Classic. The reaction of the 40,000 fans in attendance was one of enthusiastic applause and amazement. Olympiad finished second, while Taiba was third.
Trainer John Sadler recorded his second Breeders Cup win, and told NBC Sports that Flightline is the best horse he has ever trained.
Prat’s triumph was his fourth Breeders Cup win and his first in the Classic. After the race he explained that he expected a big effort from his horse but that the level of competition he faced was incredible.
Flightline is a perfect 6 for 6 in his racing career. He did not participate in horse racing’s Triple Crown races because he had suffered a series of injuries that prevented him from participating. However, his wins have been so dominating that it makes the comparisons to Secretariat viable.
Secretariat won the Triple Crown in 1973, and his crowning achievement was winning the Belmont Stakes that year by a shocking 31 lengths. That performance is considered the greatest in the sport’s long history.
Veteran jockey Mike Smith, who was on board third-place finisher Taiba, called Flightline the “best horse I’ve ever seen,” and compared him to Secretariat.
Flightline’s future is undecided as ownership has not said if he will continue to race or be retired to stud. The sport’s fans clearly hope he will continue to run, but huge profits can be made without the risk of injury if the latter option is exercised.
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