Undefeated Flightline captivated not only a United States horse racing audience but also the global racing fanbase as evidenced by Queen Elizabeth II’s to call one of his owners, Lane’s End’s Bill Farish, the day after he won the TVG Pacific Classic Stakes by 19 ¼ lengths.
Tag: Racing
Flightline Honored As Longines World’s Best Racehorse, Baaeed Top Turf Horse
On Jan. 17, Swiss watch brand Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) proudly celebrated the 2022 Longines World Racing Awards ceremony in London. Flightline was crowned the 2022 Longines World's Best Racehorse, while the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic was honored as the 2022 Longines World's Best Horse Race.
On Tuesday, the elite of the racing world met in London, marking the 10th time that Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) have honored the top Thoroughbred racehorses of the previous year, during a ceremony which also crowned the Longines World's Best Horse Race for the eighth time.
During an event held at Banqueting House, which is one of the Historic Royal Palaces, it was announced Flightline (USA) had earned the title of 2022 Longines World's Best Racehorse with a historic rating of 140. This mark equals Frankel's benchmark rating set in 2012 under the current system. Additionally, the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) was honoured as the Longines World's Best Horse Race with a rating of 126.75.
Flightline earned his 140 in the TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1), which he won by 19 ¼ lengths over Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) winner Country Grammer. His other victories over the course of 2022 included the Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Flightline retired undefeated at the end of the year.
The winning connections were presented with elegant Longines watches as well as a replica of the Longines World's Best Racehorse vase, named Equus, by representatives of Longines and IFHA. The Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings are established by international handicappers according to the performance of the horses in top races.
During the ceremony, Baaeed (GB) was also celebrated as the second-highest rated horse and the highest rated turf horse in the world for 2022. He received his rating of 135 in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1), and it is the highest rating given on turf since Frankel received his 140. Baaeed's other victories in 2022 include the Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1), Queen Anne Stakes (G1), and Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (G1). He also retired at the end of the season.
Additionally, Longines and the IFHA were delighted to honour the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic as the 2022 Longines World's Best Horse Race. Longines is proud to be the Official Partner and Official Timekeeper of this historic race.
The Longines World's Best Horse Race Award recognizes the best-rated race of the highest-rated Group 1 international races as established by a panel of international handicappers. The ratings of the top four finishers in each race serve as basis for the assessment. This is the second time the Classic has won the award, with additional recognition coming in 2016.
Drew Fleming, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Breeders' Cup Limited, was present in London to accept the award. He received an elegant Longines timepiece as well as a replica of the trophy, representing a proud horse head, on behalf of the Breeders' Cup.
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Pauline’s Pearl, Hidden Connection Among Top Nominees To Houston Ladies Classic
Nominations have closed for the Houston Racing Festival at Sam Houston Race Park. The annual event, featuring the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic and the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf will be contested on Saturday, Jan. 28, with an afternoon post time of 1:00 pm (CT).
Inaugurated in 2013, the Houston Ladies Classic was awarded its graded status by the American Graded Stakes Committee in 2016. Each year, the 1 1/16-mile main track feature has produced exceptional winners who advance to Grade 1 victories and capture national headlines. Joyful Victory, owned by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms, trained by Larry Jones was the first winner of the Houston Ladies Classic. Midnight Bisou, the incomparable mare who captured the 2019 edition of the championship surpassed the $7 million earnings mark with five Grade 1 victories. St. George Stable LLC's Letruska, was the 2021 champion and went on to win five consecutive stakes, including four Grade 1 titles. She was also honored with an Eclipse Award prior to her retirement from racing and is in foal to Curlin.
This year's Houston Ladies Classic closed with 24 nominations. Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen has nominated 2021 winner Pauline's Pearl. The Stonestreet Stables LLC homebred is a daughter of Tapit out of the Dixie Union mare Hot Dixie Chick. She followed her Houston Ladies Classic score with a win in the Grade 1, $750,000 La Troienne at Churchill Downs and has earned $1,695,200 in 15 career efforts.
Asmussen, who has won 14 Sam Houston Race Park leading trainer titles, will be seeking his fourth win in the Houston Ladies Classic. In addition to winning last year's edition, he won in 2019 with Midnight Bisou and 2020 with Lady Apple.
Another longtime supporter of Sam Houston Race Park is trainer Bret Calhoun who has nominated Hidden Connection to the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic. The Kentucky-bred filly, sired by Connect, won the 2021 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, before finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) for owners Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds.
Nominations were strong for the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup, at the distance of 1 1/2 miles with 46 nominations received by the Sam Houston Race Park racing office. Prominent mention goes to two past winners, who are still outstanding turf specialists. Team Block's homebred Another Mystery won last year's Connally in a thrilling dead heat with Fantasioso. Trained by Chris Block, the 7-year-old son of Temple City has tested the waters against some of the top grass routers, finishing third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Turf Cup last September. In 32 starts, he has earned $562,650.
The 2021 Connally winner, NBS Stable's Spooky Channel exits a victory last month at Fair Grounds in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial for trainer Jason Barkley. Sired by English Channel, the 8-year-old gelding has banked $661,722. Trainer Mike Maker, who has won the Connally a record seven times, has nominated 11 turf specialists.
The John B. Connally Turf was awarded Grade 3 status in 2006 and boasts a solid roster of past winners including Chorwon, Fort Prado, Rod and Staff as well as three-time winners, Candid Glen and Bigger Picture.
Also, there were 24 nominations received for the $100,000 Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile for 3-year-olds. Previously titled the Texas Turf Mile, it has drawn highly competitive fields for the past three years. The stakes was renamed in honor of Sam Houston Race Park's former General Manager and respected industry leader, Robert Bork, who passed away on June 11, 2021.
The draw for the Houston Racing Festival will take place on Saturday, Jan. 21. Two Texas-bred stakes, the $100,000 Bara Lass and $100,000 Groovy, will also be contested.
The nominations for each feature can be viewed on equibase.com. Press releases on each of the Houston Racing Festival Stakes will be forthcoming.
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‘She’s Done Very Little Wrong’: Maryland Million Winner Chickieness Returns In Saturday’s Xtra Heat
Morris Kernan Jr. and Jagger Inc.'s Chickieness, popular winner of the Maryland Million Lassie last fall, chases her second straight win and second in a stakes in Saturday's $100,000 Xtra Heat.
Chickieness raced eight times for breeder, trainer and co-owner Jamie Ness as a 2-year-old, running second in back-to-back stakes at Delaware Park behind then-undefeated Bound by Destiny before breaking through with a come-from-behind 1 ½-length triumph in the Lassie.
Following that effort the Blofeld filly ran third in an optional claiming allowance sprinting six furlongs and fourth to undefeated Malibu Moonshine in the seven-furlong Maryland Juvenile Fillies before rebounding with a front-running 3 ¾-length optional claiming allowance score Dec. 17.
“After she won Maryland Million Day we tried her in a couple other spots including the stake there. She was still eligible for the allowance, and she was able to win that the last time she ran,” Ness said. “There isn't a lot of other options with a filly like this. You either run in the stake or you sit in the barn. She had a good work last week and that's where we're headed. She's Maryland-bred, so we're going to run her in Maryland.”
Out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Chickaletta, Chickieness had things her way last out under regular rider Jaime Rodriguez, setting solid fractions before pulling away to win in 1:06.18 for 5 ½ furlongs. After making her first four career starts in Delaware, her last four have come at Laurel.
“The last time she actually won pretty easy, so maybe she's still getting better. I think she's still going to have to continue to improve to take on open stake fillies, but that's what we're going to try,” Ness said. “She's done very little wrong. It means a little extra being the owner-breeder, and I ran the mare. She's been at my farm since she was born so it's nice to see her develop.”
Rodriguez returns to ride from the rail at topweight of 124 pounds, yielding six pounds to each of her five rivals.
Trainer Brittany Russell entered the pair of Grace and Charm and L Street Lady. Jeff Drown and Nicky Drion Thoroughbreds' Grace and Charm graduated in her fourth and most recent start, a gate-to-wire maiden special weight triumph going six furlongs Jan. 1 at Laurel by 4 ½ lengths. Madaket Stables' L Street Lady also exits a powerful maiden special win, hers by 7 ½ lengths sprinting 5 ½ furlongs Dec. 4 in her second lifetime start and first on dirt.
Robert Rutherford's We'll See, a Pennsylvania homebred daughter of champion Uncle Mo, is entered to make her stakes debut for trainer Bruce Kravets after winning her first two starts at Penn National by 20 ½ combined lengths, neither as the favorite.
Runnymoore Racing's Filtered Light, a 3 ¼-length maiden special weight winner over fellow Pennsylvania-breds Dec. 12 at Parx; and Mario Serey Jr. owned and trained Ojitos Bellos, sixth after encountering trouble in the Dec. 30 Gin Talking at Laurel two starts back, are also entered.
The Xtra Heat honors the champion 3-year-old filly of 2001 and 2015 Hall of Famer that won 26 races, 25 in stakes, and nearly $2.4 million in purses from 36 starts between 2000 and 2003. Racing primarily for Marylanders Harry Deitchman and Kenneth Taylor and trainer John Salzman Sr., who purchased her for $5,000 as a 2-year-old in training, she won at least one graded-stakes every year she raced and 11 in all, including the Prioress (G1) and back-to-back editions of the Barbara Fritchie (G2), and was also multiple Grade 1-placed against males.
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