Flightline continues beat toward Breeders' Cup Classic with five-furlong work

ARCADIA, Calif. – It was only a five-furlong workout by a horse whose next start is still five weeks away, but as trainer John Sadler said Saturday morning at his Santa Anita barn, “It’s standard stuff with an exceptional horse.”

Flightline worked five furlongs after the 6:30 a.m. break Saturday at Santa Anita, where he cruised 1:00.40 under exercise rider/assistant trainer Juan Leyva.

Under cloud cover, with comfortable temperature in the high 60s, Flightline broke off by himself at the half-mile pole and worked without urging from Leyva. Sadler timed his splits in 12.20, 24.40, 36.20, 48.20, and 1:00.40. Santa Anita clockers gave him the same five-furlong work time; Flightline galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.

“We’re trying not to do too much right now,” Sadler said Saturday. “We have five more works, counting today. The serious works will be the 15th and 22nd. Those will be the pivotal works.” Flightline works every Saturday.

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The early favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5 at Keeneland, Flightline apparently remains in top form after a smashing victory in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Sept. 3 at Del Mar. He won by 19 1/4 lengths and earned a 126 Beyer.

The Saturday workout by 5-for-5 Flightline was his second since the Pacific Classic. He worked an easy half-mile Sept. 24 at Santa Anita, walked Sept. 25, jogged Sept. 26, and galloped four days preceding his Saturday workout. Sadler expects a similar training schedule the coming week.

“We weren’t looking for anything fancy, just a little bit more without doing a whole lot,” Sadler said Saturday.

The complexion of the Breeders’ Cup Classic will crystallize following three key races Saturday afternoon. Life Is Good runs in the Grade 1 Woodward at Aqueduct; Hot Rod Charlie runs in the Grade 2 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs; and Country Grammer runs in the Grade 1 Awesome Again at Santa Anita.

Regardless of how those races unfold, the outstanding race record of Flightline and his easy workout Saturday further solidifies his role as early favorite for the BC Classic.

Flightline will ship early to Keeneland and post his final BC Classic workout over that track Sadler said late Saturday morning. Plans call for Flightline to ship from California to Kentucky on Oct. 23, a day after his final major workout at Santa Anita.

“He’ll have a simple workout [at Keeneland] on Saturday or Sunday [Oct. 29 or Oct. 30],” Sadler said. “We’re building in a buffer zone. We have done it both ways. His last work will be there, get him good and settled in.”

Flightline’s travel partners Oct. 23 include two other Breeders’ Cup contenders trained by Sadler – Edgeway (Filly and Mare Sprint) and Bran (Turf Sprint).

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