2022 Eclipse Awards: Flightline
When the search for superlatives to describe what Flightline accomplished in 2022 ends, there will be one moniker left to hang on the unbeaten colt.
Champion.
Though Flightline ran just three times in 2022, competing for a total of 5 minutes, 32.92 seconds, he gave his connections and racing fans everlasting memories. His Grade 1 victories in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park in June, Pacific Classic at Del Mar in September, and the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland in November came by a combined 33 1/2 lengths and made him a finalist – and likely winner – of an Eclipse Award in the older dirt male division.
John Sadler trained Flightline for Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Equine, which also bred the son of Tapit out of the Indian Charlie mare Feathered.
:: Full list of 2022 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories
Though his 4-year-old campaign was delayed due to a hock injury that forced him to miss a race in March, Flightline dazzled in his 2022 debut, overcoming a slow start and failed attempts to box him in to win the Met Mile by six lengths. It was his first start since the previous Dec. 26 when he completed a perfect 3-year-old campaign with an 11 1/2-length victory in the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita.
Flightline elevated his profile immeasurably in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Sept. 3 when he ran away from a field that included Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer and Santa Anita Handicap winner Express Train to win by 19 1/4 lengths, running 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.28 while taken in hand late by jockey Flavien Prat.
“You can debate a lot of stuff, but you can’t debate that was one of the greatest races ever run by a Thoroughbred racehorse,” Sadler said.
Flightline’s third and final start of 2022 – and his career – came in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland, where he met seven Grade 1 winners, including Life Is Good, who one year earlier won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and who figured to play catch me if you can in the 1 1/4-mile race.
Though Life Is Good opened up two lengths after running an opening half-mile in 45.47 and six furlongs in 1:09.27, Flightline had yet to be asked by jockey Flavien Prat. When Prat did go after Life Is Good, Flightline shot past him in upper stretch, and with Prat just pushing on the reins drew away to an 8 1/4-length victory, running 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.05.
As Flightline came to the wire, Larry Collmus, calling the race for NBC, described it as, “A spine-tingling, jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring, Secretariat-like Breeders’ Cup Classic win.”
In his post-race interview, Sadler teared up as he attempted to describe Flightline’s performance.
“How do you describe greatness?” Sadler said. “This is a rare horse that happens every 20 or 30 years. One of the best American racehorses we’ve seen in a long, long time. And I’m talking about Secretariat, Seattle Slew, you go through the list and what I’ve tried to be is a good steward to him.”
Flightline was so special that on Nov. 7, two days after his BC win, a 2.5 percent interest in him was purchased for $4.6 million.
Flightline was retired to Lane’s End Farm where he will stand his first season at stud in 2023.
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