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Unbeaten Flightline To Drill Six Furlongs On Saturday At Santa Anita In Preparation For Grade I, $6 Million Breeders’ Cup Classic
10/12/2022
UNBEATEN FLIGHTLINE TO DRILL SIX FURLONGS ON SATURDAY AT SANTA ANITA AS HE CONTINUES TO PREPARE FOR STARRING ROLE IN GRADE I, $6 MILLION BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC AT KEENELAND NOV. 5
SADLER-TRAINED SUPERSTAR TO AGAIN WORK AT 6:30 A.M., CLOCKERS’ CORNER OPEN TO PUBLIC
ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 12, 2022)—With three solid works to his credit since taking the Grade I, $1 million Pacific Classic Sept. 3, John Sadler’s undefeated superstar Flightline will drill six furlongs at 6:30 a.m. this Saturday at Santa Anita as he continues to prepare for a likely role as the post time favorite in the Grade I, $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 5.
Flightline, unbeaten in five starts, will again be handled by Sadler assistant and former jockey Juan Leyva. With Leyva aboard this past Saturday, Flightline emerged from Santa Anita’s Stable Area via the quarter mile chute at approximately 6:30 a.m. while accompanied by a stable pony.
Breaking off from the five furlong pole he worked past the wire to the seven furlong pole, earning an official six furlong clocking of 1:12.40.
In winning the Pacific Classic, his first two-turn assignment, by a record 19 ¼ lengths, Flightline earned a tremendous Beyer Speed Figure of 126—best in North America this year.
A six length winner of the Grade I Metropolitan Mile Handicap June 11 at Belmont Park, Flightline took Santa Anita’s Grade I, seven furlong Malibu Stakes three starts back on Dec. 26 by 11 ½ lengths and has won his five races by a combined 62 ¾ lengths.
With the Breeders’ Cup Classic looming just three weeks from this Saturday, look for Sadler to “tighten the screws” a bit on America’s top-rated horse as he gets set to face his toughest assignment to date.
“This was perfect, it was a good work, nothing serious,” said Sadler this past Saturday. “We’ll get a little more serious (in his next work)…He’s right on schedule.”
Santa Anita’s Clockers’ Corner, accessible via Gate 8 off of Baldwin Ave., is open free of charge to the public during training hours. Admission and parking are free and full breakfast service is available.
First post time for live racing on Saturday is at 1 p.m. and with an expected total 20 cent Rainbow Pick Six pool of $2 million up for grabs, there will be a mandatory payout on Saturday.