Flightline works five furlongs from gate for Pacific Classic

DEL MAR, Calif. – Flightline has done little wrong in his first four races, winning all and most recently the Met Mile, in dominating fashion. But there’s always room for improvement, and that was the point of his early morning drill Saturday at Del Mar.

Flightline’s trainer, John Sadler, elected to work Flightline from the gate, in company, as Flightline moves toward his next start, the $1 million Pacific Classic here Sept. 3.

“He didn’t break good in New York,” Sadler said, referring to the Met Mile, “so we discussed it, and decided we wanted to give him one break from the gate, but get it out of the way early. His last couple of races, he was too relaxed in the gate.”

Del Mar management accommodated Flightline, allowing him to get his work out of the way before anyone else was allowed on the track after the first renovation break at 6:30.

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With assistant trainer Juan Leyva, a former jockey, up for the work, Flightline, starting outside his workmate, broke cleanly and went along steady as a metronome, clicking off consistent fractions - per Del Mar clockers - of 22.80 seconds for the quarter, 34.80 seconds for three furlongs, 46.80 seconds for a half-mile, then completing his work officially in 59.48 seconds.

The gate for morning works is placed at the 1 1/4-mile start – where the Pacific Classic begins – and Flightline worked to the five-furlong pole. He galloped out an additional furlong, to the half-mile pole, in 1:12.40.

“Nice easy work,” said Sadler, who watched the drill from the second-floor boxes with owners Kosta and Stephanie Hronis. “Not trying to get crazy. We’re ahead of schedule.”

Flightline is racing again in five weeks. He is scheduled to work every Saturday morning between now and the Pacific Classic, with the last of those drills on Aug. 27, one week prior to the Pacific Classic.