Flightline

Saturday at Santa Anita, Flavien Prat, the perennial leading rider in California, racked up six wins and didn't finish worse than second on any of the day's mounts. It was the third time in the past year that Prat has won a half-dozen races at the Arcadia oval; in the previous 30 years, it only happened twice altogether. With that backdrop, Prat joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Tuesday as the Green Group Guest of the Week to discuss his star turn since coming over from his native...

Following an outstanding New Year's Day at Santa Anita with six wins and four seconds on a 10-race card, jockey Flavien Prat joined the TDN Writers' Room to discuss his background in racing and his ride to victory in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. aboard superstar Flightline.

Flightline (Tapit) showed that he was fast from the start with his 13 1/4-length, 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut, but he proved his status as an elite talent in his most recent jaw-dropping performance when he passed the wire on cruise control in the GI Runhappy Malibu S., winning by 11 ½ lengths and earning a 118 Beyer speed figure. The impressive colt's ownership group of Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing has undoubtedly spent much of this new year celebrating their star's unforgettable...

The team that puts out the Beyer speed figure numbers made it official Monday morning. 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) is really, really, fast. Flightline was given a 118 Beyer figure for his sensational performance in Sunday's GI Runhappy Malibu S. at Santa Anita, which is the top figure assigned to any horse this year. Prior to the Malibu, Flightline and Baby Yoda (Prospective) were tied for the best number on the year, a 114. Baby Yoda finished second in the Malibu, but was never a threat to Flightline, who...

Flightline (Tapit), who had given hints of greatness while opening his career with two supremely easy victories, officially arrived with an eye-popping victory in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. at Santa Anita Sunday. For Bill Farish of co-owner Woodford Racing, the Malibu result confirmed the faith his team has had in the colt all along. "We hoped to win this, but to do this against this kind of field, this was the real class test for him and I think he answered it the way we thought he would," Farish...

Brilliant 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit), among the most exciting horses in training or in recent memory, faces his toughest test to date in Sunday's GI Runhappy Malibu S. The $1-million FTSAUG buy turned in a debut for the ages when drubbing local foes by double digit lengths and earning a 105 Beyer Speed Figure here in April, and after overcoming a bruised foot he put up a gaudy 114 Beyer when making similarly short work of Del Mar optional claiming foes Sept. 5. The John Sadler trainee has certainly...

The race for 2021 champion sprinter looks like a tossup for now between Dr. Schivel (Violence) and Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music), but that could change Sunday at Santa Anita. While Jackie's Warrior is done for the year, Dr. Schivel will try to end 2021 with a victory against brilliant 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) in the GI Runhappy Malibu S., where he could pick up his second Grade I win on the year and his third stakes win overall. Jackie's Warrior ended the year with four stakes wins, but just...

Unbeaten and untested in a pair of blowout victories, 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) is gearing up to make his highly anticipated stakes debut in the GI Malibu S. on Santa Anita's traditional opening day program Dec. 26. Campaigned in partnership by the powerhouse lineup of Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, and breeder Summer Wind Equine, the $1-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling made it two-for-two for trainer John Sadler in spectacular fashion, crushing a first-level group of optional claimers by 12 3/4 lengths over Labor Day weekend...

Ask David Jerkens, Del Mar's racing secretary, what he considers a key ingredient to the success of the coastal venue's latest summer season, which wrapped Monday, and his answer is a testament to the early bird. "There was lots of enthusiasm--I could go way back to March, when my phone was ringing with questions regarding our 'Ship & Win' program," said Jerkens, of a particular bait, now into its 11th year, used to hook out-of-state runners. "I just felt that buzz around Del Mar earlier than normal." All told, the...

'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit), away since turning in one of the best debut performances of all time, a 13 1/4-length romp at Santa Anita Apr. 24 that earned him a 105 Beyer Speed Figure, showed that effort was far from a fluke Sunday as he demolished winners at Del Mar to remain unbeaten and completely untested. Reportedly given ample time so as not to react from his freakish first outing before then coming up with a foot abscess, the $1-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad had generated more buzz with his...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency HALF TO BOBBY'S KITTEN DEBUTS IN KY 2nd-KYD, $135K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:53 p.m. Joe Sharp unveils MISTHAVEN (IRE) (Candy Ride {Arg}) in this first baby race of this boutique meet. SF Bloodstock purchased Celestial Woods (Forestry) for $350,000 with this filly in utero at the 2018 FTKNOV sale. She is also the dam of GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner and millionaire Bobby's Kitten (Kitten's Joy) and MGSW Camelot Kitten (Kitten's Joy). TJCIS PPs PLETCHER UNVEILS PRICEY CLASSIC EMPIRE FILLY AT THE...

There have been several horses over the past 100 years of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale to summon big price tags, eclipsing the $500,000 mark, in the Humphrey S. Finney pavilion and then go on to be quite successful on the racetrack. The siblings of four such Thoroughbreds are part of the catalogue for the famed auction's centennial edition to be held at the Spa Aug. 9-10. The 2017 GI Belmont S. winner Tapwrit (Tapit) summoned $1.2-million at the Saratoga Sale back in 2015 from a partnership comprised of Bridlewood Farm,...