Over the next few days, you will likely hear plenty about the Tapit 4-year-old Flightline.
In a performance almost universally recognised as 'Secretariat-like,' the John Sadler-trained entire demolished his opponents by upwards of nineteen and a quarter lengths in the Grade 1 $1 million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar.
The Dubai World Cup and Hollywood Gold Cup winner Country Grammar was closest to him at the finish.
So, Flightline's form reads; won a maiden at Santa Anita by 13 ½-lengths in April last year, followed by a similar margin in an allowance at Del Mar in September.
He rounded out his 3yo season with an 11 ½-length score in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on Boxing Day.
The son of Tapit made his 4yo bow with a 6-length pipe opener in the Grade 1 Metropolitan at Belmont Park, defeating Grade 1 winner Happy Saver.
His fifth consecutive win was a tour-de-force.
Flav
ien Prat has been on Flightline in all five wins. He seemed keen to take a sit, but Flightline was having none of it. He pulled himself to the front, and his cruising speed was phenomenal. He had the chasing pack off the bit before the home turn. Still, under a stranglehold, he continued to increase the margin.
"This horse is so brilliant you have to space his races a little bit apart because he is his own category," Sadler told BloodHorse. "I know him well, and I know what's best for him is to build up his energy between one race to the next.
"We'd all want to see him run more times, but when he runs like this, you don't need to run him more times.
"Enjoy the ones that you run in."
Bred by Summer Wind Equine, Flightline is a $ 1 million Saratoga Select Yearling. He is the best of two winners from three to race of the GrIII Indian Charlie mare Feathered, runner-up in the Gr1 American Oaks and Gr1 Starlet Stakes and third in the Frizette Stakes.
Flightline's half-brother Voron broke his maiden in May last year – in Russia.
Glenlogan Park bought into this solid Phipps family through the talented Kasuga (CAN). A 9-time winner and GrIII runner-up, the daughter of Temple City had a Russian Revolution colt sell to Lindsay Park for $180,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January. He has been named Beluga Express.
