Tag: Bill Farish

No Shortage of Excitement For Lane’s End’s Newest Addition

Just a week and a half after GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic winner Flightline (Tapit) was officially retired and shipped from Keeneland Race Course down the road to his new home at Lane's End Farm, the Versailles-based operation opened its doors to members of the media for an up-close and personal afternoon with their newest superstar addition on Wednesday.

With a group of nearly 15 in attendance, along with members of the Lane's End team, Flightline was walked around the stallion complex, displaying how well he has adapted to life on the farm. Despite the colder temperatures, with a hint of snow and the bite of wind in the air, the recently retired colt took everything in stride as those watching took videos and photos to document the experience.

After all facetime with Flightline was fulfilled, the group headed inside to hear from Lane's End's Bill Farish and David Ingordo, the operation's bloodstock agent, who provided further insight on the decision to retire Flightline this year. He will enter stud next season, standing for a fee of $200,000 LFSN.

“We got together the Sunday afterwards, the day after [the Breeders' Cup], and we went over every scenario, looking at the different races and different targets he could have had for next year,” said Farish.

The GI Pegasus World Cup, set for Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023 at Gulfstream Park, was brought up as an example, where the team weighed questions such as, “Who's going to run in the Pegasus against him? Is it going to be worth waiting that time and bucking up against breeding season?”

“To go on through the [next] year, again, he'd beaten the best four 3-year-olds and best other older horses that are out there. Who's going to emerge to run against him? By the time Breeders' Cup rolls around next year, maybe there will be a superstar that will be worthy of that, but that's a long wait for one race. There just really was no upside to keep him in training,” said Farish.

In the end, those factors along with the reality that he was at the end of his 4-year-old season led owners Hronis Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine and Lane's End-affiliated partnership Woodford Racing to the ultimate decision to retire Flightline from his racing career and ready him for his first season at stud.

Flightine has proven to acclimate exceptionally well throughout his racing career. He did so when traveling from his home base at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, CA, to Belmont Park in Elmont, NY, for a victorious romp in the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H., and later back to the West Coast for his breathtaking GI TVG Pacific Classic win at Del Mar. And finally returning to what ended up being his final destination in central Kentucky, Flightline struts around Lane's End as if he's spent his entire life there.

“He just adapted immediately; we probably could have just turned him out the first day. He's been so relaxed and so intelligent about everything, it's amazing. He's a really smart horse,” said Farish.

Not only does Flightline add prestige to the farm's 2023 roster in the form of on-track success and exceptional conformation, but there's also immense hope that he will add to the legacies that have been created by his sire Tapit, grandsire Pulpit and great-grandsire A.P. Indy, the late stalwart of Lane's End.

“Having multiple generations of any sire line has always meant a lot to us here. With Dixieland Band, we've had four generations of that sire line, and now seeing the same thing happen with A.P. Indy, it's really special,” said Farish.

 

 

 

With all of that being said, the team at Lane's End has been under immense pressure to pull together the best possible first book for their new stallion. But even before the decision to officially retire Flightline to stud was made, a continuous stream of inquiries was flooding in and the team was diving into pedigree research in an effort to plan ahead.

“I think people in their minds maybe felt he would retire, so they took it upon themselves to say, 'I'm going to set this mare aside.' Nobody knew we were retiring this horse until the morning we did, because it was that kind of decision, it was a very difficult one,” Ingordo said. “When people would say, 'Well should I send you a mare?' I'd reply, 'If you want to set one aside, you go ahead, you send it to me, we'll figure it out [when] we do it,' and this was during the October sale, the September sale. Once the announcement was made, the inbox and texts and everything got full.”

“We did a lot of pedigree research ahead of time, and again, we didn't decide we were retiring him until Sunday morning, but we went on the offensive because we figured if he races on, we'll have this year's sales mares and next year's sales mares. We went through and worked with [Werk Thoroughbred Consultants'] Sid Fernando on some pedigree research, and later we graded them all, then we made a list. Once he was retired, we went through and looked at them all and we just [assessed] every mare that fit him.”

According to Farish, Flightline's first book of mares will be set around 150.

He remarked on the impressive quality of the mares submitted so far, with plenty of interest from many of the top breeders nationwide and substantial attention from prominent international interests. Notable mares that are already part of the book include champion Shamrock Rose (First Dude), purchased for $3 million in foal to Curlin at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale by KI Farm; Queen Caroline (Blame), dam of 'TDN Rising Star' and multiple Grade I winner Forte (Violence); and Diva Delite (Repent), dam of champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute).

“We've had a lot of interest from the Japanese. They were going to take their mares straight to Japan and I think we've got five or six horses that came out of the sale, that were purchased by Japanese [connections], that are going to hopefully breed to him and spread his influence over there,” said Farish. “That's one of the unbelievable added benefits with a horse like this, there's total international interest and a lot of European mares as well, so I think he'll have a really good balance. I wish it was this easy with all of them.”

“We bought the mares we thought we liked that fit him and we had notes on all of these other ones so when people were submitting them, we tried to be as thoughtful as we could without, as a friend of mine says, having 'Analysis to paralysis.' We think we've curated a pretty good book,” added Ingordo.

Until breeding season officially begins in February, all the team behind Flightline can do is wait, while continuing to field hundreds of emails, phone calls and a seemingly never-ending stream of farm visits.

“I don't know if it's going to work or not but we can't say we didn't try,” said Ingordo.

The post No Shortage of Excitement For Lane’s End’s Newest Addition appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Please Don’t Retire This Horse

“We need a hero,” owner Kosta Hronis said, overcome with emotion standing in the winner's circle following the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, where Flightline (Tapit) ran one of the greatest races in the long history of the sport.

“We need a champion,” he continued. “We need an undefeated horse. Someone who can go out and do this and that's Flightline.”

In those four short sentences Hronis captured the moment, the sentiment and all the reasons why Flightline needs to be brought back for a 2023 campaign. It's because the sport and everyone who loves it needs and deserves more of the magic that this very special horse delivers every time. To the owners, please put horse racing first and your bank accounts second and give the game what would be nothing less than a precious and cherished gift. Please.

Flightline can make a staggering amount next year as a stallion, far more than he ever could make on the racetrack. His five owners all say they are racing fans first, but they are also businesspeople and racing Flightline next year is just not economically practical. The insurance policy alone that they would have to take out would cost millions. He probably will be retired.

I'm trying not to be naive.

But neither will I give up hope.

The NBC cameras closed in on another owner, Terry Finley, after the race and there was a river of tears rushing down his cheeks. He was experiencing what we all hope to experience in our lives, a feeling of pure exhilaration, pure joy. I am sure the other owners, Hronis, Bill Farish, Jane Lyon and Anthony Manganaro all felt the same way. Perhaps other than the birth of a child, there is nothing else in life that can match this. It is indeed priceless.

Money is nice. Money is important. But Finley is never going to weep for joy after viewing the balance in his bank account. That feeling, those tears, what Terry Finley experienced Saturday, can be replicated maybe four or five times next year with what would no doubt be four or five more sensational performances. Does he or any of the other owners really want to let that go?

I wouldn't be saying that if this weren't a once-in-a-lifetime horse. I wouldn't have said that even with American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) or Justify (Scat Daddy). They were wonderful horses, Triple Crown winners, but Flightine has gone to a place where those horses never went. He doesn't live up to the hype. He smashes it. He makes the impossible seem ordinary.

After he won the GI Pacific Classic by 19 1/4 lengths it seemed Flightline could never surpass that performance. But he did. If ever he was going to be in a fight, this was it. The Classic was loaded and the seven opponents presented a far more difficult challenge than the one he faced out at Del Mar. But it was not a fight. It wasn't even a skirmish. Under his passenger, Flavien Prat, he couldn't have been more dominant. Flightline won by

8 1/4 lengths, turning the final two furlongs into a one-horse race. Once again, Prat never had to shift out of cruise control.

“How do you describe greatness?” trainer John Sadler said. “This is a rare horse. It happens every 20 or 30 years. One of the best American racehorses we've seen in a long, long time. And I'm talking back to Secretariat, Seattle Slew. You go through the list.”

It's hard to compare Flightline to Secretariat because they are horses from two very different eras and Flightline has raced only six times. But Secretariat, it should be remembered, lost twice after his other-worldly performance in the 1973 GI Belmont S. and none of his races after the Belmont quite matched what he did that day when he redefined greatness in the Thoroughbred. Flightline somehow seems to get better with every race.

Who is the greatest ever, Flightline or Secretariat? Let's just say this: they both belong in the conversation.

This sport can get you down. There have been the drug scandals with Jorge Navarro and Jason Servis and the rest. You have far too many groups and individuals trying to submarine the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority. The safety and well-being of the animal, both during and after their careers, remains a constant worry. The struggle to get mainstream attention for the game seems like a never-ending, losing battle. On too many days at too many racetracks the grandstands are empty.

But Saturday, it was like those problems had vanished. In the moment, this was indeed the greatest game that there is and we all remembered why we fell in love with it in the first place. Thank you, Flightline.

“This is really good for the business,” Finley said.

Exactly.

So bring him back. While you're at it, plan out a campaign that doesn't include trips to the Middle East. If this isn't going to be about the money then don't make it about money. Make 2023 a celebration and a celebration of American racing. Put the fans first. Run in the GI Pegasus World Cup, the GI Santa Anita H. Come back in the Pacific Classic. End the year back at Santa Anita in the Classic and let's see if he can win this time by a dozen lengths or more.

Then cash in and send him off to stud.

To ask the connections to run him next year is asking a lot. I understand that. It's just that I don't want to see this end and neither should his owners.

The post Please Don’t Retire This Horse appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Keeneland To Auction Off Fractional Interest in Flightline

A 2.5% fractional interest in 'TDN Rising Star' and likely GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic favorite Flightline (Tapit) will be auctioned off at the start of the 2022 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in Lexington, the auction house and Lane's End have announced. Flightline will enter stud as the property of a syndicate at Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, upon the conclusion of his racing career.

The auction will be conducted with a first-of-its-kind Metaverse experience which intends to replicate the excitement of the November Sale. This user-friendly virtual experience is hosted on Spatial and accessible via Oculus headset, desktop computer, or mobile phone. Participants will have a front-row seat in a virtual sales ring modeled after Keeneland's and will also have the opportunity to learn about Lane's End, Keeneland and the Thoroughbred industry through a series of pre-event activations.

The fractional interest is subject to Keeneland's Conditions of Sale. Interested bidders must register in advance, have established credit with Keeneland Sales, and meet such additional requirements as Keeneland or Lane's End may request. Qualified bidders may bid on the fractional interest in-person at Keeneland, via Keeneland's online auction platform, or by phone. The fractional interest is being offered by West Point Thoroughbreds, one of five ownership groups in Flightline, who races the world's top-rated racehorse in partnership with Hronis Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Summer Wind Equine LLC and Woodford Racing LLC.

“Bill Farish and Keeneland have been talking about trying to stay ahead of the curve from a technology standpoint and increasing outside participation and interest in the industry,” said West Point's Terry Finley. “We are just really happy we are in a position to participate. We are excited about it. The attention has been incredible over the last couple of hours. It is very unique way for someone to have an opportunity of a lifetime. We don't know what to expect, but it could be very good for the partners.”

It is expected to be the only opportunity to buy into Flightline before he retires to stud. Should Flightline continue to race beyond the Breeders' Cup, the purchaser of the fractional interest will also be a part of his racing ownership. At the conclusion of the auction, the winning bidder will own 2.5% of Flightline and have all rights, benefits, and obligations of a co-owner of the horse pursuant to the Syndicate Agreement. All racing and breeding decisions will be made as provided in the Syndicate Agreement available for inspection by qualified bidders.

A decision on Flightline's future will be made following the Breeders' Cup.

“Flightline's stud fee has yet to be determined,” said Bill Farish of Lane's End, “but he will surely retire as one of the most valuable Thoroughbred stallion prospects in recent memory. He'll be an historic addition to the Lane's End roster and the syndicate model is an exciting way for more people to participate in a sport that otherwise has a high barrier to entry.”

Shannon Arvin, President & CEO of Keeneland, said, “With these trailblazing firsts–a chance to own a portion of the world's best racehorse and the opportunity to experience the world's leading Thoroughbred auction house in the Metaverse–Lane's End and Keeneland are once again proving their commitment to evolving the horse racing industry and welcoming a new generation of fans to its timeless traditions.”

For additional information or to pre-register to bid, visit www.keeneland.com/flightline or contact Bill Farish at Lane's End at (859) 873-7300 or Keeneland's Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach at (859) 254-3412.

The post Keeneland To Auction Off Fractional Interest in Flightline appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Bringing Back Flightline at Five and Why It Makes Sense

The Week in Review, by Bill Finley

Even on a day when he merely worked out, Flightline (Tapit) was front-page news after his early morning breeze Saturday at Santa Anita. That's how much he has captivated the sport; it's the reason why everyone is so hopeful that his career does not end after the GI Breeders' Cup Classic and that his owners can resist immediately cashing in on the hundreds of millions he will make at stud.

The group has collectively said that no decision will be made until after the Breeders' Cup while hinting that they are leaning toward running him next year. One owner, Kosta Hronis, said there is a “great possibility” that Flightline will race as a 5-year-old. Co-owner Bill Farish, who will eventually manage his stud career at Lane's End, said “we are all racing fans and we all want to do what is good for the sport,” which makes it sound like he would have no problem with Flightline racing next year.

Most people see it this way, that the decision comes down to “doing what is good for the sport” versus cashing in, indeed a tough choice.

That said, “the good for the game” reasoning is somewhat weak. Flightline did not run in the Triple Crown races and the mainstream media all but ignores racing unless there is a juicy controversy. For those reasons, he is largely unknown outside of racing circles, making it very difficult for him to attract new fans to the sport. While one more year would thrill existing fans, a Flightline campaign in 2023 would do little to increase handle or raise racing's profile.

But there's another factor to consider, and it's a big one. What price do you put on the priceless? What price do you put on the thrills, the excitement, the glory and everything else that comes with owning a once-in-a-lifetime horse, the type of horse none of these owners, no matter how lucky they might be, will ever have again? And whatever that price is, is it worth more than the money to be made from Flightline's first year at stud?

I don't think that the decision to bring Flightline back will come down to the money to be made at stud or doing what's right by the sport. If they bring him back, it will be because the owners can't let go of the thrills and they want to come back for more.

“All the owners love racing,” Farish said. “There's nothing more fun than what happened at Del Mar the other day in the Pacific Classic. Everybody is a fan at heart.”

Exactly.

The owners are Farish, Hronis, Anthony Manganaro, Jane Lyon and Terry Finley and his partners at West Point Thoroughbreds. I can't imagine that any of them need the money, a new boat or a private jet. Yes, they are in the business to make money, but neither would they be in racing if they didn't love the sport.

Before Flightline came around their goals were no doubt pretty much the same as everyone else's who race and breed horses. They wanted to be involved with good horses, win major races and then develop them as sires or broodmares. That's the formula and, normally, the decision to keep racing or retire a horse isn't that difficult. All five owners play the game at the highest level and are always capable of coming up with another very good horse to replace the very good horse they just retired.

But this is different. The Flightline 5 will never have another Flightline because this is a horse that has extended the boundaries of what we all thought was possible. He wins the GI Pacific Classic by 19 1/4 lengths and it looks like he isn't even trying. He's never been tested or challenged. He's yet to have a race where he didn't dominate the competition. He will be going against some exceptional horses in the Classic, but will be such an overwhelming favorite that the oddsmakers have pegged him at 3-5 in their morning lines. Every time he runs, you're expecting him to do something you used to think was beyond expectations.

The rest of us can only imagine what it must be like to own this horse. He is the horse all five owners have dreamt of since getting in the business, the horse they have worked their lifetimes for, but the horse they never possibly thought would come their way. Yet, the owners have enjoyed the experience only five times and it will be only six if he retires after the Breeders' Cup. How can they not want more or let go so easily?

Whether or not Flightline runs at five, the owners will still make boatloads of money when he does go off to stud. Why not have your cake and eat it too? This story is too good to end in less than two weeks at the Breeders' Cup. Bring him back next year and do it because there are things in life more valuable than money.

No Stakes at Santa Anita

Bundling major stakes races on one day is all the rage. Where top stakes races used to be spread throughout a track's dates, now many of them wind up being run on the same day. And the formula is working. These super-cards attract the bettors and the handles are significantly higher than on a normal Saturday.

This Saturday, Santa Anita will offer seven stakes races. On the surface, it's a smart move. The Saturday before the Breeders' Cup is normally a quiet one and what will be a standout card at Santa Anita will grab the attention of the wagering public.

But there's already been a price to pay.

There were no stakes on last Saturday's card at Santa Anita, which is something that never happens. There wasn't even an allowance race on the nine-race card. It didn't feel like a Saturday at the “Great Race Place.” It was more like a quiet Thursday afternoon. It's not just Santa Anita. There have been plenty of cards at major tracks where there was nothing special on a humdrum menu.

Big-event days are here to stay and that's not a bad thing. But couldn't Santa Anita have taken just one of the seven stakes slated for Saturday and run it a week earlier? The card sure could have used it.

The post Bringing Back Flightline at Five and Why It Makes Sense appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights