Flightline pulls away after eventful, stalking trip in Met Mile
ELMONT, N.Y. – The gates opened for the 129th Metropolitan Handicap and Flightline, the heavy favorite, was away last. John Sadler, Flightline’s trainer, felt queasy.
“I wanted to throw up on myself,” Sadler said. “But you got to sit there and watch it and see what happens.”
What Sadler saw happen was the validation of all the hype surrounding Flightline, who worked his way out of trouble early on the backside, stalked the pacesetting Speaker’s Corner until the middle of the far turn, and then drew clear to an emphatic six-length victory in the Grade 1, $1 million Met Mile on Saturday at Belmont Park.
Happy Saver finished second, 2 3/4 lengths clear of Speaker’s Corner. Aloha West, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner, was fourth, followed by Informative.
The victory was the fourth in as many starts for Flightline, a 4-year-old son of Tapit owned by Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Woodford Racing.
Flightline’s first three wins came with devastating ease, as he used his speed to gain the lead soon after the start and improved his position, winning those three races by a combined 37 3/4 lengths. He hadn’t raced since Dec. 26, missed some time in the winter due to a hock issue, had to train up to this race, and then had to ship cross-country.
After breaking slow in the Met, Prat hustled Flightline toward the front, but was inside of Happy Saver while chasing Speaker’s Corner and had to steady a sixteenth of a mile into the race. Prat moved Flightline inside of Speaker’s Corner, then took another hold of him to quickly switch to the outside of Speaker’s Corner. At that point, Sadler was feeling better.
“I thought when he got him in the clear when he went up on that horse, I thought we’d be in good shape,” Sadler said.
Indeed, he was.
Flightline crept up alongside Speaker’s Corner at the three-furlong pole and by the quarter pole he was a length clear. From the top of the lane to the wire, Prat gave Flightline just a vigorous hand-ride to the wire.
Flightline covered the mile in 1:33.59 and returned $2.90 as the favorite. He was awarded a Beyer Speed Figure of 112.
“He overcame trouble, that’s the story line,” Sadler said. “Had a rough trip, took up a couple of times, but still circled around and proved much the best.”
Prat, who had ridden Flightline in all three of his previous starts, said he wasn’t overly concerned after the slow break.
“He didn’t jump well but then after that I was happy where I was,” Prat said. “He was traveling well; just an incredible horse.”
Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Happy Saver, said at one point “I thought we had a shot, but the winner was just too good.”
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Bill Mott, the trainer of Speaker’s Corner, thought maybe his horse would be in a stalking position, but said it probably wouldn’t have mattered against Flightline.
“He took it to us and beat us,” Mott said.
Sadler said Flightline would ship back to Southern California on Tuesday and then he would get with the different ownership factions and come up with a plan for the future. He indicated a two-turn race could be next.
Flightline earned an fees-paid automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with his Met Mile victory as part of the BC Win and You’re In program.