“We're pleased to be able to announce our Winter/Spring stakes schedule at this time and to once again let everyone know that our 'Ship & Win' program will be available to those out of state horses that qualify throughout the meet,” said Santa Anita Director of Racing, and Racing Secretary, Chris Merz. “We feel there is something for everyone in this stakes schedule and we are excited to offer it.  We worked diligently with trainers and other industry stakeholders to create a program that suits our horse population and caters to the needs of our owners and horsemen.”

The post Santa Anita 2022-23 Winter/Spring Stakes Schedule Released appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Flightline was given a 118 Beyer figure for his sensational performance in Sunday's GI Runhappy Malibu S. at Santa Anita, which is the top figure assigned to any horse this year. Prior to the Malibu, Flightline and Baby Yoda (Prospective) were tied for the best number on the year, a 114. Baby Yoda finished second in the Malibu, but was never a threat to Flightline, who won eased up by 11 1/2 lengths.

According to the Daily Racing Form's Jay Privman, the 118 is the highest number given to any horse since Shancelot (Shanghai Bobby) got a 121 when winning the 2019 GII Amsterdam S. at Saratoga. Shancelot was trained by Jorge Navarro, whose years of doping horses under his care have been well documented.

“We've waited a long time for a horse like this and I think we have one,” said Terry Finley, who heads the West Point Thoroughbreds syndicate, one part of an ownership groups that also includes Hronis Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Summer Wind Equine LLC and Woodford Racing, LLC. “He's a special horse. He's a gift. You can throw out superlative after superlative. To me, he's a gift.”

Flightline had already made headlines before his first career start, selling for $1 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. Making just his third lifetime start after very impressive wins in a Santa Anita maiden and a Del Mar allowance, Flightline was tested for class in the Malibu, and couldn't have passed any more easily. After breaking a step slowly, the 3-year-old took control early on, started to draw clear on the turn and then galloped away from his rivals without ever being asked by jockey Flavien Prat. He was nearly in a walk when crossing the wire after completing the seven furlongs in 1:21.37.

With a horse who did not make his debut until April of his 3-year-old year and , who has raced just three times over the span of eight months, trainer John Sadler has been very deliberate with Flightline. That's not about to change. He said Monday that he had not picked out a next start for the colt and was not in any hurry to do so.

“No specifics,” he said. “I have said that everything is on the table. He's the kind of horse that when he's right and ready to run that's when he's going to go. I'm going to take it one step at a time. I've got a good ownership group. They keep stressing do what's right for the horse. That will be my guiding principle.”

Finley said that all decisions regarding a racing schedule will be made by Sadler.

“Dale Romans gave me some good advice,” he said. “He said the best input you can have is to make sure you don't have any input. In the army they called it unity of command. John doesn't need any help from us. He's done a super job and he's made all the right moves. It will be well thought out and he'll have him ready to run no matter where he winds up.”

The only thing Sadler would commit to is that Flightline's next race will not be a sprint. The Malibu was the longest start of his career.

“The big step that I know for sure is that we want to get him stretched out,” he said. “Where and when, I don't know yet. I don't think he has any distance limitations.”

While Flightline is expected to have a more complete campaign next year than he did this year, don't expect him to run seven or eight times. He may just be the type of horse who is so fast than he needs ample time between races. Another very fast horse who was handled that way was Ghostzapper (Awesome Again).

“I'm going to be very mindful of his campaign,” he said. “I think there will be articles about this later in the week, that they've never seen a horse that is faster. So some of the traditional rules may not apply. We expect next year to go a lot different than this year because when you do right by a horse, you build a better product going forward. It's an exciting time. There's nothing written in stone, but I am mindful of the fact that I need to be careful.”

Considering that he is by Tapit and, therefore, should do his best running at longer distances and that Sadler-trained horses usually don't reach their peak until turning four, or even five, could Flightline actually get better?

“That is possible,” Sadler said. “There is so much to look forward to out there.”

The post With A 118 Beyer, Flightline Heads Into 2022 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

For Bill Farish of co-owner Woodford Racing, the Malibu result confirmed the faith his team has had in the colt all along.

“We hoped to win this, but to do this against this kind of field, this was the real class test for him and I think he answered it the way we thought he would,” Farish said.

Off a touch slowly, the bay recovered and clicked off an opening quarter in :22.01 and a half in :44.48 while under an easy hold. Asked to lengthen once heads were turned for home, Flightline continued to widen on the front end without being asked a single question by Flavien Prat and coasted under the line 11 1/2 lengths clear of Baby Yoda (Prospective). The final time, over what was a dull strip during Sunday's program, was a spectacular 1:21.37, better than three seconds faster than the time recorded by Kalypso (Brody's Cause) in the GI La Brea S. a couple of races prior.

“I was in cruise control the whole race, galloping freely,” Prat said. “He was quite impressive. I wanted to get a good position and get myself into the race. My idea was to get out there running and see what happened. He has been brilliant so far. He really has been quite amazing.”

A $1-million graduate of the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, Flightline earned no-doubt 'TDN Rising Star'-dom with a 13 1/4-length romp on his local debut Apr. 24. Gone for some 4 1/2 months thereafter, Flightline resumed with a 12 3/4-length success in a first-level Del Mar allowance Sept. 5, prompting questions on whether a Breeders' Cup appearance might be in the offing. After some deliberation, connections demurred, opting to train up to Sunday's race.

“I've been stressing the last 20, 30 or 40 days getting ready for today,” trainer John Sadler admitted. “There is a lot of pressure on you, but it is the pressure you want. It's like the high school coach for LeBron. You know you have something special and he is much the best. This horse is there. You just don't want to screw it up.”

As for where his budding superstar might appear next, Sadler said, “The next race is up to the horse. We have to be true to the horse. We will chart the course from there. This horse is so brilliant. This is not an ordinary horse, this is a very special horse. We want to do right by the horse and all other things will fall into place.”

Pedigree Notes:

Feathered, who was second in the 2015 GI American Oaks, has a yearling full-brother to Flightline who RNA'd for $390,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, and a weanling half-brother by Curlin. Her 2-year-old colt by Pioneerof the Nile was exported to Russia after selling for $100,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale. Feathered, who was purchased by Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Farm for $2.35 million at the 2016 Keeneland November sale, was bred to Into Mischief this year.    Flightline is the 95 graded winner for Tapit and the first out of an Indian Charlie mare.

Sunday, Santa Anita Park
RUNHAPPY MALIBU S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo, 7f, 1:21.37, ft.
1–FLIGHTLINE, 120, c, 3, by Tapit
1st Dam: Feathered (GSW & MGISP, $577,474),
                                by Indian Charlie
                2nd Dam: Receipt, by Dynaformer
                3rd Dam: Finder's Fee, by Storm Cat
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
   WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($1,000,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-Hronis
Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Summer Wind Equine LLC, West
Point Thoroughbreds & Woodford Racing, LLC; B-Summer
Wind Equine LLC (KY); T-John W. Sadler; J-Flavien Prat.
$180,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $259,800. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Baby Yoda, 120, g, 3, Prospective–More Than Speed, by
More Than Ready. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Pantofel Stable, LLC,
Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber & Jerold L. Zaro; B-Kathleen
Amaya & Alexandro & Raffaele Centofanti (FL); T-William I.
Mott. $60,000.
3–Stilleto Boy, 120, g, 3, Shackleford–Rosie's Ransom, by
Marquetry. ($420,000 3yo '21 FTKHRA). O-Steve Moger;
B-John Kerber & Iveta Kerber (KY); T-Ed Moger, Jr. $36,000.
Margins: 11HF, 1, 6 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 16.10, 19.10.
Also Ran: Triple Tap, Timeless Bounty, Team Merchants, Dr. Schivel.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Flightline Imperious In Runhappy Malibu Romp appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post