Flightline's Patient Connections Ready for Malibu

"Flightline , he's not our horse; I think he's going to be America's horse."

That's what Kosta Hronis of Hronis Racing proudly said about the 3-year-old Tapit   colt who will be saddled for the Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1) Dec. 26 on Santa Anita Park's opening day. Returning in early September, the John Sadler trainee repeated the performance in a Del Mar allowance optional claimer, seeing his foes off by 12 3/4 lengths. The partnership of Hronis Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, Summer Wind Equine, Siena Farm, and Woodford Racing will have the opportunity for a Boxing Day success.

"The Hronis Family and Mr. Sadler are ones who believe and let the horse take us on his path and at his rate," said Hronis. "We plan one race at a time, see how he comes out and when he will be ready to train again. It's hard to make a schedule for a horse like Flightline, especially since he has only had two races, but we will just let the horse lead us. It's been the John Sadler way with all of our horses. Obviously, we have been patient; Accelerate   is a good example of patience working out."

Flightline all set for the G1 Malibu. @SienaFarmKY @woodfordracing @KostaHronis @sadlerracing https://t.co/Bm5BX8terd

— West Point Tbred (@westpointtbred) December 19, 2021

Flightline was bred in Kentucky by Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Farm and out of the grade 3 stakes-winning mare Feathered , who Lyon acquired from the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $2.35 million. Lane's End consigned Flightline in 2019 to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in New York, and the colt sold for $1 million to West Point Thoroughbreds, with L.E.B. agent.

"First, we have great partners. We all know he's a special horse; he has to make a move up to the big leagues, which he will have a shot to do on Sunday in the Malibu," said Terry Finley, president and CEO of West Point Thoroughbreds. "It's a cool group of people. We all knew and sensed the true excitement in John's demeanor and words before this horse even made his first start in April.

"Basically, for all of us privileged to be a part of this horse, it's been an incredible ride since the beginning of this year when we started to have a race target in mind. The ride has been really good, and we all know, everyone in the partnership has been in the business for a long time, and I don't think we are taking lightly the gratitude that we all have to be associated with a truly special Thoroughbred like this."

While his connections were tempted by the Breeders' Cup being on his home turf at Del Mar, the choice to skip the championship weekend was logical.

"The big issue with prepping for the Breeders' Cup is if you have zero points, if you don't get in and there is no alternative, it's not good," said Hronis. "We had to decide weeks ahead what our chances were. If there had been another little stakes or allowance race that he could have run in, maybe we take the chance and train him up, and if we didn't get in, then we would have an alternative on that day, but there wasn't. We had to make the right choice for Flightline. Although it was tempting, the right choice was to wait for the Malibu Stakes."

"John Sadler has total control, and that is the power of a good partnership," said Finley. "Flightline ran so well at Del Mar in September, while tempting, it didn't take John long to decide and ascertain that he did not want to take that big of a step to run him in the Breeders' Cup.

"The Malibu is logical, especially when we are so excited about 2022 with this horse. We are all in unison. When you have one like this, you can't wait for them to run, while we all know that no matter the outcome that this was the right path. I have been doing this for 30 years, we have won almost 1,000 races and run in something like 5,600 overall, and I honestly can't remember a spot or a particular race where I have been more excited about, or the anticipation this high."

The bay colt has been putting in consistent works leading up to the seven-furlong Malibu, most recently working five furlongs Dec. 19 in 1:00 1/5 at Santa Anita.

"A week from today, we are looking forward to it," Hronis said Sunday.