Flightline sires first stakes winner as Go for Launch upsets Bolton Landing
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. − If Go for Launch is anything like her parents, the success she’s had sprinting is only the beginning of what could be a special career.
Go for Launch became the first stakes winner for the first-year sire Flightline − the 2022 Horse of the Year − when she was tipped out by jockey Pietro Moran at the top of the lane and powered her way to a 2 1/4-length victory in the $200,000 Bolton Landing Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Saratoga. Go for Launch defeated the pace-setting Allura, who finished a half-length in front of Extravaganzoo.
Lexi’s Charm finished fourth, followed by More Champagne, favored Side Quest, Army Salut,e and Shining Moment. Luminous Beauty was scratched.
Though Flightline won his first two starts sprinting on dirt, he truly made his mark by his dominant victories going 1 1/4 miles in the Pacific Classic and Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2022.
Starship Jubilee, Go for Launch’s mom, won twice sprinting on turf in the claiming ranks but became a multiple graded stakes winner routing on turf.
One of Starship Jubilee’s graded stakes wins was the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga in 2020. Starship Jubilee, like Go for Launch, was trained by the Woodbine-based Kevin Attard. This is her first stakes winner from three foals.
“It’s very special, obviously, we trained the mother who was very nice,” said Joshua Attard, son of and assistant to his father. “Go for Launch always showed talent from the get-go. She should get better with more distance as well. Obviously, it’s special to have a foal out of Starship Jubilee especially by the great Flightline.”
The Bolton Landing was also a special win for Pietro Moran, the Eclipse Award winning apprentice jockey of 2025, who earned his first Saratoga victory. Moran is based primarily in Canada.
“Saratoga is the best,” Moran said. “Just to win a race here is unbelievable.”
Go for Launch won her debut in front-running fashion. Wednesday, she showed a different dimension, sitting behind the speedy Allura, who went a half-mile in 45.28 seconds pressed from the outside by Shining Moment.
Turning for home, Moran got Go for Launch out into the clear and by the eighth pole, she had collared Allura and left her easily in the final furlong.
“When I was sitting in behind and not fighting her or trying to keep her up there, she did everything on her own, I was happy,” Moran said. “When I chirped at her, she quickened right away, bullied her way out and ran on hard home.”
Go for Launch, owned and bred by the Blue Heaven Farm of Bonnie Baskin and Adam Corndorf, covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.45 over firm turf and returned $22.06 to win.
Josh Attard said he was happy to see Go for Launch settle off horses, a trait that might come in handy when it’s time stretch out in distance.
“She’s bred to run longer; even the way she trains in the morning she just keeps going and going,” he said. “Today was five and a half [furlongs] but I think longer in her career she’ll go farther.”
Like mother and father.
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