“Flightline’s matured, he’s more professional than last year but his precociousness hasn’t diminished even with the increased distances of his races,“ says Jeannine Edwards.
“The most credible challenge will come from Life Is Good, who certainly seems top of his game, has the class to be favoured in any other year, and the speed to stay clear of trouble.”
“Epicenter will round out the top three, as this hard-knocking pro always gives his all, and will get a perfect pace set-up to run another honest race, as he’s the kind everyone wants in their barn.”
“A strong a Classic as we’ve seen in years,” Jeannine says “and I’ve seen many great horses, American Pharoah comes to mind, however I’d compare Flightline to Big Brown or a Seattle Slew.”
“Slightly hot, headstrong, with speed to spare and a simple effortless ability to keep cruising and crush his opponents, he’ll just continue on his war path and remain undefeated in the Classic.”
Of course, its Jeannine Edwards who knows what it’s all about, for Sports Illustrated twice honoured her in being ‘#1 Broadcaster on Television’ and ‘Best Broadcaster in Horseracing.’
And in featuring the Kentucky and Florida Derby winner Barbaro, she was recognised by both the ABC World News and Good Morning America for her ‘outstanding reporting on horseracing.’
And with Flightline as the $1.33 Ladbrokes favourite for the $6m Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic of 1¼m on dirt, he’ll don the yellow 4 saddlecloth for Gate 4, with Flavien Prat in the irons.
In coming off a 19¼ length victory in the TVG Pacific Classic he was awarded a 139 ranking as the Longines World’s Best Racehorse, 1lb below Frankel on 140, with Cigar given 135 in 1996.
Trained by John Sadler and in the green and white of Hronis Racing, it’s the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities who celebrated the success of Kosta and Stephanie Hronis.
In association Pete Hronis, they have enjoyed success at the highest levels in horse racing, and with
agent David Ingordo and John Sadler they have continually had champion upon champion.
First it was Stellar Wind in receiving the Eclipse Award for Champion 3YO Filly in 2015 in winning the Santa Anita Oaks, and in six Group 1 victories she twice won the Clement L Hirsch Stakes.
Then in 2018 Accelerate won the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and was voted the Eclipse Award for Champion Older Dirt Male in being the top rated dirt horse on the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings.
And with Flightline to stand alongside Accelerate at Lane’s End Farm, Kentucky on retirement, he was selected by West Point Thoroughbreds for $1m at the 2019 NY Saratoga Select Yearling Sale.
Sired by the ‘breed-shaper’ Tapit, and bred by Summer Wind Equine, he’s from Gr3 winning American Oaks second placed Feathered, by Indian Charlie, the family of Finder’s Fee, Fantastic Find.
“Yes,” continued Jeannine Edwards, “and I’m sure my best memory would be Zenyatta in winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2009 at Santa Anita, as she just brought down the house!”
“Dead last for most of the race in her usual running style, and looked hopelessly beaten at the top of the stretch, she just mowed them down and the entire grandstand erupted.”
“Our announce team, myself included, were in utter amazement as I remembered Zenyatta coming back to the winners’ circle and they draped the garland of flowers over her neck.”
“It was an extremely dramatic moment, and we just let the crowd’s applause take over the telecast, as we all were in awe of what she had just accomplished and so was trainer John Shirreffs.”
“Zenyatta was one for the ages and to this day she is the only female to win the BC Classic, as we were televising the following year when she came up a nose short of winning the Classic again.”
“I was with her owners in their box watching the race, for it was such an emotional roller-coaster and they so gracious in defeat, in just failing to catch the Whitney winner Blame.”
