Flightline is now rated as the best horse in the world, jumping ahead of the UK-based Baaeed, who has gotten used to a status at the top of those standings. John Sadler’s runner is set to feature one more time this year in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
The four-year-old is unbeaten in five appearances so far in his career, with his last three victories all coming at Grade One level. The talented colt has yet to come off the bridle in what have been emphatic wins.
Flightline was last in action at Del Mar in the Grade One Pacific Classic Stakes. He took on former Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammar. Under the hands of his usual pilot Flavien Prat, the pair stretched away from the field with five furlongs to go, eventually scoring by just under 20 lengths.
After the demolition of a quality field in California, Flightline is now -200 in the bet on racing odds for the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic, the feature race of the Breeders’ Cup meeting. The 1m2f contest at Keeneland is set to be Flightline’s toughest test to date, but there is a lot of confidence behind the horse. It will be just his second run at the distance, however, he showed at Del Mar, he has the stamina for the trip.
Victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic will not only help Sadler’s runner cement his place at the top of the world racing standings as seen when discussing horse racing betting tips, but it could also lead to him taking on major international assignments in 2023 such as the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup.
Life Is Good Leads Challenge Against Flightline
Life Is Good is going to be vying for a second straight success at the world championship meet this year. In 2021 he won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar, prevailing by over five lengths.
Todd Pletcher’s runner has scored four times in his five appearances since then. His only defeat came in the Dubai World Cup where he had to settle for fourth place out of 10 runners at Meydan in the UAE.
The four-year-old won the Grade One Whitney Stakes at Saratoga back in August. He then scored at the highest level in the Woodward Stakes at Aqueduct. Those victories will give his connections a lot of confidence going into the Breeders’ Cup Classic where his horse is +500 to cause an upset by beating Flightline.
One of the youngest horses in the Breeders’ Cup Classic field this year is set to be Epicenter, a three-year-old colt from Steven Asmussen’s yard. He finished second in two US Triple Crown events in 2022, as he was runner-up in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
The son of Not This Time has since prevailed twice. He won the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga over 1m1f. He then returned to the same course to win the Grade One Travers Stakes by five lengths, a performance which made him a Breeders’ Cup Classic contender.
The premier dirt contest is set to take place on November 5 this year, in what will be the final race of the two-day meeting.
