'How do you describe greatness?' Flightline cruises in 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic victory

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Whether Flightline belongs in the discussion of all-time great horses will be argued forever, but the undefeated colt only bolstered his legacy Saturday at Keeneland.

After stalking the front-running Life Is Good, Flightline made his move off the turn and cruised home for an 8 1/4-length victory in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

It likely was the last race in the career of the 4-year-old Flightline, who stands to make a mint in the breeding shed after going undefeated and unchallenged in his six career starts.

Average margin of victory: 11 ¾ lengths.

Number of tracks conquered: Four (Santa Anita, Del Mar, Belmont and Keeneland).

Grade 1 victories: Four.

“How do you describe greatness?” trainer John Sadler said. “This is just a rare horse that happens every 20 or 30 years. One of the best American racehorses we’ve seen in a long, long time. I’m talking back to Secretariat, Seattle Slew.”

Breeders' Cup: Winners and payouts from Saturday's races at Keeneland

Rival trainer Bob Baffert agreed.

“It’s God’s gift of just true natural talent,” Baffert said. “Like Usain Bolt. They don’t come around very often. … He’s proved he’s the best horse in the world.”

With Flavien Prat riding, Flightline covered the 1 ¼ miles in 2:00.05. He paid $2.88 to win as the 2-5 favorite.

Olympiad passed the tired front-runners to finish second, and the Baffert-trained Taiba was another half-length back in third.

Eight horses entered, but the contest essentially was a match race along the backstretch as Life Is Good set blistering fractions of 22.55 seconds for the quarter-mile, 45.47 seconds for the half-mile and 1:09.62 for three-quarters. Flightline stalked just behind Life Is Good, with the remainder of the field a good 13 lengths back.

Sadler was asked about Flightline being so close to the quick pace and whether he was concerned his horse might wear down.

“I think I missed that split,” Sadler said, “and I’m kind of glad I did.”

Prat began to move Flightline on the second turn and took the lead for good with a quarter-mile to go. Prat wasn’t concerned about the fast pace.

“I felt like I was in control the whole race,” Prat said.

Olympiad trainer Bill Mott put his horse’s second-place finish in perspective.

“How could you be more pleased?” he said. “We’re here on the wrong year.”

Breeders' Cup: Winners, payouts from Friday's races at Keeneland

Breeders’ Cup officials reported Epicenter was pulled up by jockey Joel Rosario “after sustaining an injury to his right forelimb. … The horse walked onto the equine ambulance and is being transported to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for further evaluation.”

Flightline earned $3.12 million for the ownership conglomerate of Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing.

Flightline missed the Triple Crown trail last year and raced just three times as a 3-year-old. The son of Tapit closed his 3-year-old season with a victory in the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita Park and won Grade 1 races this year at Belmont and Del Mar before the Breeders’ Cup romp.

Co-owner Kosta Hronis credited Sadler and his team for making Flightline great.

“He was a fast horse all the time, and he wanted to run full blast all the time,” Hronis said. “John and the team, they turned this horse into a racehorse. He’s the champion he is today because of John Sadler.”

Sadler fought back tears during the post-race news conference. He won the Classic with Accelerate in 2018 at Churchill Downs.

This one was different.

“Brilliant is his normal,” Sadler said of Flightline. “He didn’t disappoint. He never has.”

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @KentuckyDerbyCJ.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Breeders' Cup Classic winner: Flightline cruises to victory