Breeders' Cup Classic: Flightline jogs in the mud
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Flightline got his feet wet early Monday morning jogging once around a muddy Keeneland surface. Saturday, he’ll be the shark in the water when he takes on seven rivals – like him all Grade 1 winners – in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
Though nine horses were pre-entered for the Classic on Oct. 24, Cyberknife, as expected, was entered Monday for Saturday’s $1 million Dirt Mile. Cyberknife’s connections were going to run in the Classic only if Flightline did not.
Flightline’s presence in the Classic is the expected focal point of the Breeders’ Cup. He has gone 5 for 5 in his career, including a dynamic 19 1/4-length victory in the Pacific Classic on Sept. 3 at Del Mar.
Flightline arrived here Oct. 24, and his workout on Saturday, in which he went five furlongs in 1:00.59, was watched by all.
“I haven’t seen too many of them move like him,” said Eric Reed, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner and likely Breeders’ Cup longshot Rich Strike. “I watched him work with that light on [the rider’s helmet] and he looked like a car driving around the track instead of a horse. He’s something special. It’s kind of cool to be in a race with him, really.”
Following his workout Saturday, Flightline had a day off on Sunday and jogged once around the sealed, muddy surface just after the track opened at 6 a.m. Monday. Flightline was expected to resume daily gallops Tuesday
On Monday, Flightline was among the first group of horses to train, quickly gliding over a surface made muddy by Sunday afternoon and evening rains. Trainer John Sadler said the last time Flightline trained on a wet track was at Belmont Park the week of the Metropolitan Handicap.
“The track was pretty firm,” Sadler said of Keeneland’s surface Monday. “It was a good day to jog.”
Flightline won’t have to worry about a wet track the remainder of the week or on race day, because the forecast from Tuesday on was for dry conditions. Saturday’s forecast calls for a high of 76 degrees with partly cloudy skies and no rain.
Flightline faces the likes of Life Is Good, Olympiad, Epicenter, and Taiba as part of a solid cast of horses. The field also includes Hot Rod Charlie, Happy Saver, and Rich Strike.
“Terrific field,” Sadler said. “Not a bad horse in there. I have a lot of respect for Life Is Good, having watched him run in California. I enjoyed watching Epicenter.
“I’ve seen them all run a lot. I know they’re really good.”
Epicenter was the last Classic horse to put in a workout on Sunday, going a half-mile in 51.29 seconds. Olympiad and Taiba were the last Classic contenders to arrive on Sunday, Olympiad on a van ride from Saratoga and Taiba on a flight from California. Both jogged at Keeneland on Monday.
Clairiere works half-mile
Clairiere, who was at the head of the older female dirt division before a last-place finish in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign, worked a half-mile in 50.17 seconds Monday morning at Keeneland. Trainer Steve Asmussen pushed back Clairiere’s work and that of sprint champion Jackie’s Warrior and two others to 8 a.m. because the track was sealed and muddy early but harrowed and good after the mid-morning renovation break.
Asmussen ponied Clairiere almost all the way to the half-mile pole before turning her and exercise rider Carlos Rosas loose.
“She looked smooth as glass,” Asmussen said.
Clairiere had beaten Malathaat in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps and Grade 2 Shuvee and was favored to beat her again in the Personal Ensign. But Clairiere acted up badly in the starting gate, didn’t break well, and never got involved in the race. It was later determined she had a laceration on her tongue.
“Yes, it caught us off guard,” Asmussen said. “We pride ourselves on how they act and how well they’re schooled. That is 100 percent our responsibility. We feel we have that base covered, and if we’re fortunate enough to have success in the Distaff, we’ll be extremely pleased that it happened last time and not this time.”
The Distaff also was expected to be drawn with an eight-horse field, including Society, also trained by Asmussen; the Todd Pletcher-trained pair of Malathaat and Nest; Blue Stripe; Search Results; Secret Oath; and Awake At Midnyte.
Secret Oath, the Kentucky Oaks winner, had a workout postponed Monday due to an extremely sloppy surface at Churchill Downs.
◗ Asmussen worked four others on Monday at Keeneland after the renovation break, including Jackie’s Warrior (three furlongs in 37.65); Dirt Mile entrant Gunite (four furlongs in 51.78); and Filly and Mare Sprint entrant Wicked Halo (four furlongs in 52.81).
Aloha West, last year’s BC Sprint winner, worked a half-mile in 47.26.
– additional reporting by Mike Welsch
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