Flightline looks sharp in five-furlong work for Pacific Classic

DEL MAR, Calif. – With just about every older horse not named Flightline set to compete in the Whitney later in the day at Saratoga, the best older horse named Flightline kept on schedule Saturday morning at Del Mar for his next start, four weeks hence, with another sharp workout.

With regular exercise rider Juan Leyva – the assistant to trainer John Sadler – aboard as usual, Flightline was given an official time of 59 seconds flat for five furlongs, with a six-furlong gallop-out of 1:11.80. Del Mar clockers began timing the work at the 4 1/2-furlong pole and credited Flightline with splits of 24.20 seconds, 35.80, and 47.40.

The time wound up being the fastest of 64 works at five furlongs Saturday morning.

As is Sadler’s custom, Flightline worked just after the first renovation break on Saturday. He will stay on a similar schedule for the next three weeks, though Sadler said the next two works would be the most important as he moves Flightline along toward his first start at 1 1/4 miles, in the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

“He just floats over the ground,” said Sadler, who watched the work in the box seat section with co-owners Kosta and Stephanie Hronis. “It worked out perfectly. There was no one around. He didn’t catch any traffic.

“The next two workouts will be the ones. This was just maintenance, keeping him steady. He’ll go six furlongs next time, then seven, and then his last one will be at five. This was just to keep him level.”

Flightline, 4, has maintained a high level since his debut. He’s now unbeaten in four starts, all dazzling performances, most recently in the Met Mile on the Belmont Stakes undercard. He will have nearly three months between that start and the Pacific Classic, but based on how he’s trained here there is zero evidence that he’s lost any of his sharpness nor enthusiasm.

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