Plenty of Talk About Flightline at Saratoga

There weren't many spots on the backstretch at Saratoga Race Course or the Oklahoma Training Track Sept. 4 where the conversation wasn't about the jaw-dropping performance by Flightline  in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar the day before.

"He looked spectacular," Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said outside his barn at the Oklahoma. "To me, it was a Secretariat-type performance that we saw. There's not much more to say about it."

"Very impressive," fellow Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher said at his Oklahoma barn. "He hasn't been beat yet. Very impressive, for sure. I expected him to run well."

Flightline ran his record to 5-for-5 with his 19 1/4-length runaway. He has won both his starts this year.

The next stop for the son of Tapit   will be the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 5.

That is also the probable landing spot for horses trained by Pletcher and Mott.

Pletcher is targeting Life Is Good , who won the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Aug. 6, to the Classic. Mott is hoping to run Olympiad , the bounce-back winner of the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) Sept. 3.

Pletcher will aim Life Is Good, a son of Into Mischief  , to the $500,000 Woodward Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack Oct. 1. When asked about Life Is Good running against Flightline at Keeneland, Pletcher was not going to offer much.

"Hopefully, (the Classic) is a successful one for us," he said. "I mean, we have tremendous respect for (Flightline). We also have a lot of confidence in how good we think Life Is Good is. I am looking forward to running in the Breeders' Cup Classic if Life Is Good runs well in the Woodward and keeps moving forward."

Olympiad rebounded from a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Whitney to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup by two lengths. Mott said the son of Speightstown   will remain in Saratoga, where he will train him up to the Classic.

And as far as facing Flightline? Well, let's go, Mott says.

"We are leaning toward the Breeders' Cup Classic," he said. "Of course, the next question is going to be 'what about Flightline?' They usually run more than one horse in the race, and we'll probably be a participant. It's the end of the year with a big purse."