malibu | Horse Racing Free Tips

Prat Sticks With Untested Flightline For Sunday’s Malibu Stakes

Unbeaten in two starts by a combined 26 lengths, John Sadler's freakishly good Flightline makes his stakes debut as he faces six sophomores going seven furlongs in Santa Anita's traditional Opening Day headliner, the Grade 1, $300,000 Runhappy Malibu Stakes on Sunday.

A heartbreak nose loser of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6, Mark Glatt's Dr. Schivel, who had been unbeaten in three starts this year, will try to make his case for Eclipse Sprinter of the year honors as he seeks his third career Grade 1 victory. Throw in Bob Baffert's Triple Tap, who like Flightline, is unbeaten in two starts and making his first stakes appearance, and Runhappy Malibu appears to have the makings of an instant classic.

A bay colt by Tapit out of the Indian Charlie mare Feathered, Flightline earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure in his six furlong debut here on April 24, a race he won by 13 ¼ lengths. Idle until Sept. 5, Sadler turned him loose in a six furlong allowance at Del Mar, a race he won by 12 ¾ lengths and in which he earned an astronomical 114 Beyer.

In what is no doubt a resounding endorsement, Flavien Prat, Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Riding champ three out of the past five years, has opted to stick with Flightline over both Dr. Schivel and Triple Tap. Owned by Hronis Racing, LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, Summer Wind Equine, LLC, Siena Racing, LLC and Woodford Racing, LLC, Flightline, who was bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Equine and fetched $1 million as a Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling in 2019, will no doubt be the focus of the racing world on Sunday.

A winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in his fourth start at age two, Dr. Schivel entered the Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 on the heels of a pair of graded stakes wins going six furlongs—the Grade 1 Bing Crosby on July 31 and the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 2, a race he dominated by 3 ¼ lengths.

Off at 4-1 in the Breeders' Cup Sprint with Prat aboard, Dr. Schivel got a perfect stalking trip from his outside post, took command a furlong out and in a desperate finish, was nailed on the money by longshot Aloha West, only to be back in front on the gallop-out past the wire. With Prat, who had been a perfect four for four on Dr. Schivel, opting to ride Flightline, Juan Hernandez, who guided the son of Violence to a 5 ¾ length maiden win in his third career start on Aug. 8, 2020, has the call.

Owned by Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal, Dr. Schivel, who earned a 100 Beyer in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, is well seasoned, with an overall mark of 8-5-2-1 and earnings of $876,000.

A winner of a record four Malibu Stakes, Bob Baffert will send out Triple Tap. The colt will no doubt command considerable respect and be ridden for the first time by John Velazquez, who has committed to ride full-time at Santa Anita this winter. Owned by his breeders, Summer Wind Equine, Triple Tap, like Flightline, was an impressive first-out maiden winner who was then idle for several months prior to making his second start.

A 4 ¼ length maiden winner going seven furlongs at 1-5 on March 13, Triple Tap came back running on Nov. 5, taking a six furlong allowance by 2 ¼ lengths while earning a 97 Beyer as the 9-5 favorite. By Tapit out of the Yankee Gentleman mare Littleprincessemma, Triple Tap appears primed for a top effort.

THE RUNHAPPY MALIBU WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 11 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

Baby Yoda—Jose Ortiz—120
Timeless Bounty—Umberto Rispoli—120
Stilleto Boy—Kent Desormeaux—120
Dr. Schivel—Juan Hernandez—124
Flightline—Flavien Prat—120
Team Merchants—Mario Gutierrez—120
Triple Tap—John Velazquez–120

The Runhappy Malibu, to be run for the 75th time, is one of six graded stakes on Opening Day. Special early first post time is at 11 a.m., with admission gates opening at 9 a.m.

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Sadler ‘Feeling Very Good’ About Undefeated Flightline’s Chances In Malibu

Flightline was racing's worst-kept secret when he made his debut on April 24 at Santa Anita.

The precocious $1 million son of Tapit was favored at 9-10 and won the six-furlong sprint by 13 ¼ lengths. His salient supporters pressed their luck at 20 cents to the dollar next out, an optional claiming race also at six furlongs, this at Del Mar Sept. 5

He won by 12¾ lengths.

Next up: the prestigious Grade 1 Runhappy Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on opening day Sunday, Dec. 26.

Toward that goal, Flightline worked five furlongs at 6:30 Sunday morning in 1:00.20 under regular rider Flavien Prat.

“He went real well in a minute flat and galloped out (seven furlongs) in (one) 25,” said trainer John Sadler. “He just cruised around there in his last work before the race.

“I'm feeling very good about his chances,” added Sadler, who conditions the bay colt for owners Hronis Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds. “We're hoping it's Christmas on the 26th.

“He's trained up to the race super; we've had our eye on the Malibu for a couple of months. It's the right conditions, 3-year-olds, a Grade 1 at seven-eighths which we think is going to be a good distance for him.

“It will be his first time against better horses but we're excited about the challenge.”

On paper, the obvious competition would appear to come from Dr. Schivel, winner of five straight races including two Grade 1's before suffering an excruciating nose defeat in the Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6.

Flightline will be the Malibu's post time favorite, with Dr. Schivel, favored in four of eight starts, relegated to second choice.

Prat has ridden Dr. Schivel in his last five starts and Flightline in his two races, but stays with the latter in the Malibu.

“That's a definite,” Sadler said.

Dr. Schivel worked this morning for the Malibu, going a half-mile in 48.20 for trainer Mark Glatt. Opening Day entries were taken this morning and will be available later in the day at santaanita.com

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In Full Flight: Unbeaten ‘Rising Star’ Flightline on Target for Malibu

Unbeaten and untested in a pair of blowout victories, 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) is gearing up to make his highly anticipated stakes debut in the GI Malibu S. on Santa Anita's traditional opening day program Dec. 26.

Campaigned in partnership by the powerhouse lineup of Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, and breeder Summer Wind Equine, the $1-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling made it two-for-two for trainer John Sadler in spectacular fashion, crushing a first-level group of optional claimers by 12 3/4 lengths over Labor Day weekend at Del Mar (video).

The bay earned an astronomical 114 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, the co-highest rating recorded throughout all of the 2021 season.

After flirting with a potential start against older horses in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar last month, Flightline instead began gearing up for the seven-furlong Malibu versus fellow sophomores with five workouts since Halloween, most recently breezing a bullet five-eighths in :59.60 (1/28) at Santa Anita Nov. 28 (video).

“Very very happy with the way he's been,” Terry Finley said while checking in from Ocala on West Point's yearling class of 36 strong.

“John Sadler was able to give him a little bit of a blow after the Del Mar race. I know he's right on target, and is very comfortable. John just really thinks he's a special horse and a special talent. Everybody in the partnership is anxiously awaiting Christmas time and opening day at Santa Anita. It will be a good test. The water will be a lot deeper. Dr. Schivel (Violence) is a multiple Grade I winner and just got nipped in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. It's gonna be a formidable task and we are excited to see how he responds and runs against a really good group of horses.”

Finley continued, “It's very tough individually to buy these kind of horses anymore. The market has been white hot and it's a long way down when you spend $1 million for a horse all by yourself. It's easy to say, but this is a really good group of people and experienced. Everyone knows the ups and downs and has been around a long time. We all get along really well and we're all rolling in the same direction, which is absolutely essential in these type of partnerships.”

Flightline previously debuted with an equally impressive 13 1/4- length jaw-dropping 'Rising Star' performance at Santa Anita Apr. 24. So why all the time between starts? Is Flightline just too fast for his own good?

“People do ask all of us this on a regular basis–it was a simple foot bruise that kind of caused us to have to back up after his debut,” Finley responded.

“We all thought we had a special talent before he even ran. It's rare–very few horses run that well in their first start. And then he just had a foot bruise. It was nothing else. You could see his works. John took his time with him and we pointed for that race at the end of Del Mar. I'm not sure there's ever been another horse that has run a 114 Beyer in his second start. John is the captain of the ship and we all agreed that it would be the best thing in terms of development for this colt to bypass the Breeders' Cup Sprint and point for the Malibu.”

Summer Wind purchased Flightline's dam Feathered (Indian Charlie), a granddaughter of the Phipps Stable-bred MGISW Finder's Fee (Storm Cat), for $2.35 million in foal to War Front at the 2016 Keeneland November sale. Flightline is her second foal.

The versatile Feathered captured the grassy 2015 GIII Edgewood S. and was also second in the GI American Oaks and GI Starlet S., and third in the GI Frizette S. Feathered has a Tapit colt of 2020 ($390,000 FTSAUG RNA) and a Curlin colt of this year in the pipeline. She was bred back to Into Mischief.

“We all know these are the kinds of horses that we're all shooting for the stars with,” Finley concluded. “When you get one like this, it's absolute magic on a big scale. We're blessed– it's a cool thing to be part of the ride with a horse like this. I don't think that we've ever had the kind of anticipation that's starting to build as we have for this horse in the Malibu.”

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Santa Anita Releases Winter/Spring Meet Stakes Schedule Highlighted By 10 Grade 1 Races

A comprehensive stakes schedule spanning six months will be keynoted by six graded stakes, three of them Grade 1 events, when Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meet opens on Sunday, Dec. 26.

Three Grade 1, $300,000 stakes, the Runhappy Malibu, the La Brea and American Oaks, along with three Grade 2, $200,000 Stakes, the Mathis Brothers Mile, the San Antonio and the San Gabriel, will highlight a blockbuster opening day program that will begin at 12 noon PT.

Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meet will run through June 19 and will include a total of 94 stakes, 59 of them graded, with 10 Grade 1 offerings including the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 9.

“We have added a significant amount of money to our stakes program along with some minor changes that I think trainers and owners, not only in California, but around the country, will appreciate,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “We have a lot of positive momentum going in California right now and these enhancements to the stakes schedule add to it. We would like to thank our partners at the TOC for getting behind this to help make California racing all that it can and should be.”

America's longest continually run “hundred grander,” the Grade 1, $650,000 Santa Anita Handicap, which will be contested for the 85th time, along with the Grade 1, $500,000 Beholder Mile and the Grade 1, $500,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile, will headline another tremendous card on March 5.

Along with those three Grade 1 stakes, one of the nation's most important Derby preps, the Grade 2, $400,000 San Felipe, the Grade 2, $200,000 Buena Vista and the Grade 2, $200,000 San Carlos Stakes will all be run on March 5 as well.

The Santa Anita Derby, which has now produced 20 winners of the Kentucky Derby, will be complemented by the Grade 2, $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks and a pair of $150,000 California-bred stakes, the Echo Eddie and the Evening Jewel, on April 9.

Three Grade 1 stakes, the $400,000 Gamely, the $400,000 Hollywood Gold Cup and the $500,000 Shoemaker Mile, will highlight a festive Memorial Day card on May 30 as the Winter/Spring meet “turns for home,” with three racing weeks remaining.

Closing weekend, June 18 and 19, will offer a wide variety of six stakes, with a pair of $100,000 sprints for 2-year-olds, the Fasig-Tipton Futurity and Fasig Tipton Debutante being run on June 18 along with the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Maria for fillies and mares.

On closing day, June 19, the iconic Grade 3, $125,000 San Juan Capistrano, for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and three quarters on turf, along with the Grade 3, $100,000 American at one mile on grass and the $100,000 Possibly Perfect, at a mile and one half on turf, figure to bring a dynamic ending to the meet.

For additional information, including Santa Anita's complete 2021-22 Winter/Spring Stakes Schedule, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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