DEL MAR, Calif.— As his horse glided down the stretch at Del Mar Saturday morning, trainer John Sadler was heard to exclaim “gorgeous” as the colt breezed by the grandstand. The ease with which Flightline gets over the ground provokes spontaneous responses like that.
Hronis Racing, et al’s Flightline put in his second-to-last work under overcast skies as he continues preparations for the G1 TVG Pacific Classic on September 3. The undefeated son of Tapit went seven furlongs in 1:24.00 with splits of :12.20; :35.20; :47.40, and 1:11.40.
“I was very pleased,” Sadler said. “Very similar to last week. He’s essentially already ready so we just wanted to maintain an even keel with him.”
Flightline was ridden by regular exercise rider and Sadler’s assistant trainer Juan Leyva. He was the only horse to work at the distance on a busy morning of training at Del Mar.
“You could see he was going very nice,” Sadler said, “well within himself. He’ll have a little soft work next week and then he’s ready to go.”
Flightline’s penultimate work caught the attention of a lot people. Among those on hand when the work went off at 6:30 were trainers Jerry Hollendorfer, Phil D’Amato and Bob Baffert, who even got in a little ribbing, asking Sadler if he got any sleep last night?
Baffert plans to run Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, et al’s Country Grammer against Flightline in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic. The Dubai World Cup winner also worked Saturday morning, going six furlongs in 1:12.00. Baffert also may run Juddmonte Farm’s Laurel River and Pegram, Watson and Weitman’s Defunded, who also put in a six-furlong work, stopping the clock at 1:11.00.
Trainer Ed Moger is pointing his brother Steve’s Stilleto Boy to the Classic. He worked the son of Shackleford five furlongs in 1:00.40 Saturday.
Other possible challengers include Foxhill Farms and Sienna Farm’s Royal Ship, winner of the G2 San Diego last month; MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm’s Tizamagician, runner-up last out in the G3 Cougar II, and Jay Em Ess Stable’s Extra Hope, who worked five furlongs in 1:00.00 Saturday. All three reside in the Richard Mandella barn.
Trainer John Shirreffs has hinted that C R K Stable’s Express Train may run in the Classic. The Santa Anita Handicap winner worked six furlongs in 1:12.40 Saturday morning, and Sadler may add the G3 Cougar II winner Hronis Racing’s Heywoods Beach to the mix.
Nominations for the Classic close Thursday, August 25.
Notes: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners Sister Otoole came out of her win in Friday’s $100,000 CTT & TOC Stakes in good order according to assistant trainer Alice Clapham. Sister Otoole was one of two horses trainer H. Graham Motion sent out from his east coast base for the stakes races at Del Mar this weekend. The other is Spendarella, favorite in the G1 Del Mar Oaks today…Jockey Edwin Maldonado is quietly having a nice meet. He notched his ninth win of the summer aboard longshot R Doc in the fourth race Friday. That moves him into fifth place in the jockey standings. R Doc ended up paying $76.60…Notable workouts for Saturday: Dirt – Desert Dawn (4f, :50.40); Master Piece (4f, :49.00); Slow Down Andy (4f, :49.00); Ce Ce (5f,:59.40), and Taiba (6f 1:10.80). A total of 196 horses put in official works on Saturday.
DMTC Press Release
Photo: Flightline breezes August 13th (Zoe Metz Photography)
