2021 Eclipse Awards: Flightline

Flightline saved the best for last in 2021.

He won the year’s penultimate Grade 1 with the year’s highest Beyer Speed Figure, earning a 118 in the Runhappy Malibu on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

“For the third start of his career, this is pretty remarkable,” Andrew Beyer, who created Beyer Speed Figures, told Daily Racing Form.

Flightline remained unbeaten in three starts with the Malibu win, and his exciting form has made him a finalist for the Eclipse Award for champion sprinter of 2021.

Flightline began his career in April, winning a maiden special weight sprint by 13 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita. For covering six furlongs in 1:08.75, he earned a Beyer Figure of 105. Flightline advanced to the first-level allowance ranks in September, and traveled the same distance at Del Mar in 1:08.05. He won by 12 3/4 lengths while putting up a Beyer of 114.

:: Full list of 2021 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

Flightline managed to trump that number in the Malibu, when he covered seven furlongs in 1:21.37. He set a quick pace and went on to a 11 1/2-length victory to close out a memorable 3-year-old campaign for Summer Wind Farm, Hronis Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, and Woodford Racing. Flightline defeated a Malibu field that included Dr. Schivel, the runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“I was in cruise control the whole race,” Flavien Prat, the regular rider of Flightline, said. “He was quite impressive.

“It’s like limitless. It’s like you’re driving a car and you’re not at full speed. It’s quite amazing.”

Trainer John Sadler had similar praise for Flightline after the Malibu.

“You look at the times that you’re used to for sprinters and assume they will slow up when they go out, and he’s the reverse,” he told Daily Racing Form.

Even rival trainers in the Malibu were floored by Flightline.

“That’s the most impressive horse I’ve seen with my own eyeballs,” Mark Glatt said. “I was born the year Secretariat won the Derby. I’ve seen footage. I’ve never witnessed a performance like that.”

Flightline proved last year that he’s a horse that’s going places – in more ways than one.

“He wants to do a lot, all the time,” Sadler Daily Racing Form. “Our job – we have a Lamborghini – is to not drive it 200 miles an hour every day. Our job is just to keep him level, and keep him reserved. He wants to go.”

Flightline was bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Equine, which kept an interest in the horse, who sold for $1 million at the Fasig-Tipton select yearling sale in 2019 at Saratoga. He is a son of Tapit and the Grade 3-winning mare Feathered, who earned more than $500,000.