For three-quarters of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, it looked that Flightline would have a race on his hands for the first time, but as Life Is Good began to back up, Flightline went on and on and on and on.
When the judge invoked the mercy rule, the 3yo son of Tapit took his unbeaten streak to six with an eight-and-a-quarter length walloping of Juddmonte Farm’s Speightstown 4yo Olympiad with the 3yo Gunrunner colt Taiba a length back in third.
Ridden by Flavien Prat in all seven starts, the John Sadler-trained colt has not had an opponent get within five lengths.
Sadler said Flightline is the horse of a lifetime.
"He's just a remarkable, remarkable horse. In the words of Bud Delp, he's one of the best horses to ever look through a bridle. He's just that good,” Sadler said.
“How do you describe greatness? 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.
“What I've tried to be is a good steward to him, be fair with him. And if you're good with your horses, they're good with you.
