Season to Flightline to be sold at charity auction

A season to unbeaten Flightline, among the most valuable stallion prospects in recent history, is likely to be a major financial draw at the Thoroughbred Charities of America’s annual stallion seasons auction in the coming week.

More than 200 seasons will be available via the TCA’s auction, presented by Mt. Brilliant. The majority of those will be presented in an online auction on Equiring.com, kicking off the annual fundraiser from Jan. 4 through Jan. 6, with staggered closing times.

The season to Flightline will be among the highlight offerings at a live event and auction, dubbed the ’Tis the Seasons Celebration, on Sunday, Jan. 8, at the Grand Reserve in Lexington, Ky.

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Flightline, who concluded his career with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland, is preparing to begin stud duty next month at Lane’s End Farm, where principal Bill Farish said he will have a book of about 150 mares – a relatively limited number by today’s standards. According to The Jockey Club’s Report of Mares Bred, the three busiest first-year stallions for 2022 were Yaupon with 242 mares, Charlatan with 222, and Rock Your World with 219.

Supply-and-demand principles are sure to drive up the value for any seasons available for Flightline, who is standing for an advertised fee of $200,000 – the highest for an incoming stallion since Triple Crown winner American Pharoah commanded the same fee in 2016. A 2.5 percent interest in Flightline sold for $4.6 million at Keeneland November, placing his inexact valuation at $184 million.

Alongside Flightline at the live auction, seasons will be sold to established successful sires Constitution, Not This Time, Nyquist, and Quality Road; Good Magic, among 2022’s leading freshmen; Maxfield, who entered stud in 2022; and Nashville and Olympiad, both of whom enter stud this season.

“This is a spectacular list of seasons,” TCA president Mike McMahon said in a press release. “It’s going to be one of the most exciting auctions we have ever held.”

Non-season items will be available in live and silent auctions at the event, which also will recognize industry participants. Maggi Moss will be honored with the Allaire duPont Leadership Award, while Second Stride will be honored with the Ellen and Herb Moelis Industry Service Award for dedication to Thoroughbred aftercare.

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