Flightline (Tapit–Feathered, by Indian Charlie), who capped a brilliant unbeaten career with an 8 1/4-length victory in Saturday's GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, has been retired to Lane's End Farm, his connections announced Sunday morning. He will stand as the property of a syndicate with a stud fee still to be announced. It was previously announced that a 2.5% ownership share in Flightline as he prepares to embark on his stallion career will be offered Monday on Day 1 of the Keeneland November Sale.
From a prolific Phipps family, Flightline was bred by Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Farm and raced by Summer Wind in partnership with Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing. A $1-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase from the Lane's End consignment, Flightline was trained by John Sadler and was ridden in all six of his starts by Flavien Prat.
Flightline's victory in the $6-million Classic at Keeneland was the culmination of a record-breaking career in which he won all six starts–including four Grade Is–and earned $4,514,800. He is the world's highest-rated racehorse in 2022, having been assigned a mark of 139 following his 19 1/4-length victory in the GI TVG Pacific Classic Sept. 3. His rating is the second-highest ever assigned by the World's Best Racehorse rankings, behind only the great Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).
Facing the strongest field he had ever met in the Classic, Flightline stalked four-time Grade I winner Life Is Good (Into Mischief) through fast fractions before collaring that rival at the quarter pole and drawing clear under a hand ride. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 121.
“We would like to thank trainer John Sadler and his team for the incredible work they did with Flightline,” said Lane's End's Bill Farish. “His historic performances are a credit to their expertise and unwavering efforts to bring out the very best in the horse.”
Flightline displayed star power from the beginning, winning on debut in April of 2021 at Santa Anita. His 13 1/4-length victory earned him 'TDN Rising Star' status and a Beyer Speed Figure of 105. He followed that with a devastating first-level allowance romp at Del Mar, winning by 12 3/4 lengths and earning a 114 Beyer. Making his stakes debut in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. in December of 2021, Flightline cruised by 11 1/2 lengths for a 118 Beyer. Next seen in the GI Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park June 11, he overcame a poor start to score by six lengths, earning a 112 Beyer.
Trying two turns for the first time in the Pacific Classic, Flightline pulled clear effortlessly from G1 Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer (Tonalist) to earn a 126 Beyer–the joint second-highest Beyer since Daily Racing Form began publishing Beyer Speed Figures 30 years ago. Thoro-Graph assigned Flightline a negative-8 1/2 for the performance, the fastest number it has ever given out, while Timeform assigned him a rating of 143, the highest number ever given to an American-trained horse.
Flightline is out of Jane Lyon's Feathered, who won the GIII Edgewood S. and finished second in both the GI American Oaks and GI Starlet S. and third in the GI Frizette S. His third dam is multiple Grade I winner Finder's Fee, while his fourth dam is Grade I winner Fantastic Find.
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