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Tex Sutton Unlikely To Have Plane In Time For Breeders’ Cup; FedEx Charter Possible Alternative

Tex Sutton, the dominant equine air-transport company in the U.S., has not had a dedicated aircraft since it's lease on “Air Horse One” expired on May 8, 2021. According to bloodhorse.com, it does not appear as if the company will have an aircraft in place in time for the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 5-6.

Tex Sutton has been acting as an authorized agent and chartering flights for horses via FedEx, but the horses are often required to be shipped alongside other cargo, and the barn's grooms are not allowed on the flights with the horses. For these reasons, and the large number of horses expected to need to be shipped from the East Coast, the Breeders' Cup is considering alternatives.

“We are definitely looking at developing a Plan B at this point, getting a little nervous,” Dora Delgado, Breeders' Cup executive vice president and chief racing officer, told bloodhorse.com. “I did have information that we could charter a complete Fed Ex flight, put about 30 horses on it. But if we do that, it is the added inconvenience of all of the horses having to get to either Tennessee or Indianapolis, as that is both of their hubs.

“We're keeping our options open. We're using Mersant International to handle all of our international shipping. They're very familiar with flights and loads and finding aircraft. So if our last resort is creating a charter of our own to bring the New York horses out to California, then that's what we'll do.”

Tex Sutton Remains ‘Weeks Or Even A Couple Months’ Away From Resuming Full Operations

Equine air transport company Tex Sutton has not yet secured a new lease on a cargo plane, reports bloodhorse.com. President Rob Clark said Tex Sutton is still “weeks or even a couple months away” from a full resumption of operations.

Tex Sutton's lease on “Air Horse One” expired on May 8, and negotiations for a new lease have begun but are not yet complete. Other temporary alternatives include seeking a lease on a slightly smaller aircraft, or chartering flights for a full load of horses.

In the meantime, Tex Sutton is acting as an authorized agent for FedEx's equine air transport services, which will carry Belmont Stakes weekend contenders from the West Coast to New York on May 29 and June 2, according to the company's website.

Derby Winner Will Van To Pimlico Due To Tex Sutton Service Disruption

Trainer Bob Baffert told media Sunday morning that his Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, would have to be vanned from Churchill Downs to Pimlico next week for the Preakness Stakes. The usual flight will not be an option due to a service disruption with Tex Sutton, the dominant equine air-transport company in the U.S.

According to the Daily Racing Form, Tex Sutton's lease on “Air Horse One,” its current aircraft, expires on May 8, and negotiations for a new lease have begun but are not yet complete.

“We are in the process of putting a new contract together with another cargo airline,” read a statement from Tex Sutton. “Because of the regulatory process required to get them up and running, we anticipate a short-term gap in our normal service.”

Most of the horses competing in the Preakness are already located on the East Coast, and the one probable entrant still in California, Rombauer, was scheduled to fly to New Jersey on May 5.

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

Tex Sutton and Kalitta Charters, the owner of the plane that was known as Air Horse One, became embroiled in a civil lawsuit last year. The driver of a Brook Ledge van sued both companies for negligence and related civil charges after an accident in which he hit a wing of the plane while trying to leave Blue Grass Airport. The van driver was making his first trip to the airport to offload horses from the plane and take them to Turfway Park, and claims he did not receive adequate directions from ground personnel on how to safely exit the airport property. He hit the wing when his attorneys say an optical illusion, poor visibility, and lack of safety perimeter made it appear his vehicle was farther from the plane than he actually was; the driver suffered injuries and missed work as a result. Both Tex Sutton and Kalitta dispute the civil complaint and later filed crossclaims against one another.

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