Photo of Flightline by Courtney Snow for Past The Wire
LEXINGTON, Ky.—The following statistics and charts – part of the Statlines reports powered by Pramana Shift – provide an interesting perspective on Flightline’s historic Breeders’ Cup Classic win at Keeneland on Nov. 5.
There have been 51 dirt races at 10 furlongs run at Keeneland since 1991. Life Is Good set the fastest 1st fraction (22.55), the fastest 2nd fraction (45.47), and the fastest 3rd fraction (1:09.62).
Flightline then set the 4th fraction (1:34.58) and cruised home under a hand ride for the 2nd fastest winning time at 10 furlongs (2:00.05) behind Authentic’s Classic win in 2020 (1:59.60).
Flightline’s 8 ¼-length victory was the largest winning margin in the race’s history, eclipsing American Pharaoh (2015) and Volponi (2002) – both of which won their respective Classics by 6 ½ lengths.
Flightline now holds two of the top 20 records for victory margin in a 10-furlong G1 stakes (dirt or turf) race in the past 31 years.
Charge It and Flightline hold the top two spots for largest margin of victory in a graded stakes this year and three of the top 20. Both Charge It and Flightline are sons of Tapit and are out of mares by Indian Charlie.
Flightline now owns the top four Equibase Speed Figures since the beginning of 2020.
Flightline’s win was Tapit’s first Breeders’ Cup Classic victory. However, Tapit is now tied atop the list of sires in all Breeders’ Cup races with seven since 1991.
