Breeders' Cup: Flightline the big attraction on racing's championship day
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two years after it held a Breeders’ Cup without spectators, Keeneland is set to host as many as 45,000 fans on Saturday with an anticipation equal to if not greater than 2015, when 50,155 were in attendance here to watch Triple Crown winner American Pharoah cap off his career with a victory in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
This year, the star of the show is the undefeated 4-year-old Flightline, who looms potentially the shortest-priced favorite in the 39-year history of the Classic, challenging the .50-1 odds of Easy Goer in 1989. Flightline will meet seven rivals – all Grade 1 winners – in the Classic, the 11th race on a 12-race card that begins at 10:30 a.m.
There are nine Breeders’ Cup races Saturday, preceded by two undercard races.
For his part, Flightline’s trainer, John Sadler, is embracing the pressure that comes with running a favorite who has won his five starts by a combined 62 3/4 lengths.
“Some people say, ‘I don’t like being the favorite,’ ” Sadler said. “I like being the favorite.”
Flightline’s 19 1/4-length victory in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic was a jaw-dropping performance that elevated the colt’s profile. Flightline brought out quite the crowd Wednesday morning when he schooled in the Keeneland paddock – and there wasn’t even any racing that day.
On Thursday, Flightline was quite sharp in his morning gallop under exercise rider Juan Leyva.
“He was a little tougher today, which is kind of good as the big day approaches,” Sadler said. “Juan definitely earned his money this morning. He was on the bit and really pulling, which is good because that’s him.”
Among Flightline’s challengers in the Classic is Life Is Good, a four-time Grade 1 winner. Life Is Good’s Grade 1-winning stablemate Happy Saver appears to be a go for the Classic despite developing a quarter crack on Wednesday, which forced him to miss a day of training. The quarter crack was patched Wednesday afternoon, and Happy Saver jogged alongside a stable pony Thursday.
“Appears to be moving well out there,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.
Life Is Good, who won last year’s BC Dirt Mile at Del Mar, will be one of seven previous Breeders’ Cup winners to compete here Saturday, which is the second day of the Breeders’ Cup following Friday, when five Breeders’ Cup races for 2-year-olds were to be run.
Saturday’s first Breeders’ Cup race is the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint. Ce Ce, who won this race last year, takes on Echo Zulu, who won the Juvenile Fillies last year.
Golden Pal goes for a third consecutive Breeders’ Cup victory and second in the $1 million Turf Sprint. He also won the Juvenile Turf Sprint in 2020.
In the $2 million Sprint, Aloha West, last year’s upset winner, will again take on Jackie’s Warrior, last year’s beaten favorite in this race.
The $2 million Distaff carries nearly as much intrigue as the Classic. Top 4-year-old fillies Malathaat and Clairiere meet top 3-year-old fillies Nest and Society.
The $2 million Mile is led by Modern Games, who won last year’s BC Juvenile Turf after mistakenly being scratched and then forced to run for purse money only. Among the other horses in the race is Order of Australia, who upset the 2020 Mile here at odds of 73-1.
On the Thursday before the 2021 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, trainer Chad Brown had to announce the scratch of Domestic Spending from the BC Turf due to a tendon injury. This year on the Thursday before the Breeders’ Cup, Brown confirmed that Domestic Spending would indeed remain in the Mile field. Brown had pondered scratching Domestic Spending after he drew post 14, and perhaps pointing him to the Grade 2, $250,000 Seabiscuit Handicap on Nov. 26 at Del Mar.
The tough-luck draw is just another hurdle to overcome for Domestic Spending, who is making his first start in 15 months. He will be ridden by Flavien Prat
“The initial sting of the post draw had me thinking,” Brown said Thursday. “But we’re going to run. Hopefully, he’s able to drop in, not lose too much ground into the first turn. Quite a challenge Prat’s gonna have.”
Brown has three entered against top Europeans in the BC Filly and Mare Turf – In Italian, Rougir, and Virginia Joy.
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England-based trainer Charlie Appleby, who won three BC races last year, sends out first and second favorites Rebel’s Romance and Nations Pride in the $2 million Turf.
Cody’s Wish looks to win the Dirt Mile for not only his connections but for Cody Dorman, a young man from Lexington who suffers from the rare genetic disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome. He has a formed a special bond with the horse.
The weather forecast, once delightful, is now becoming difficult. Gusty winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected, and there is a growing chance of rain, though probably not enough to put a damper on what figures to be a party-like atmosphere.
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