West Point Partner Writes Song About Flightline

The illustrious, undefeated career of Flightline   is surely worthy of a book and even a movie, be it a major Hollywood studio or Netflix.

For John Haines, it moved him to write a song in tribute to his horse that was an unbelievable dream come true for him.

"Flightline is a horse that comes around once in a lifetime. I was just floored by him," Haines said. "He's so gentle when you see him in his stall. He's almost human and seems to have a sixth sense so that he knows what you will ask him to do."

Haines, one of the seven highly fortunate West Point Thoroughbreds partners who owned a share of the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner, is a 71-year-old ophthalmologist in Eugene, Ore., by trade. Yet in his free time, aside from owning racehorses, he's a musician who put those talents to work with some friends as Flightline's accomplishments reached legendary proportions this year.

"We listen to his races and took something from each of the announcers and then everything fell in place," Haines said. "We're not marketing it. We're just having fun with it and I hope people get a kick out of it."

The finished product about the 4-year-old son of Tapit   who was also owned by Hronis Racing, breeder Summer Wind Equine, Woodford Racing, and Siena Farm is a song entitled "Flightline—Bringin' Home The Breeders' Cup."

Haines teams with friends and fellow Eugene-area musicians to put on concerts to fund his Give Me Sight Foundation which provides eye care for third-world countries. He pooled the talents of his buddies to write the country music-styled ballad and create the video.

The lyrics, by Haines and Pete Kartsounes, include a chorus of: "Flightline, always lookin' so fine. Nothin' but a sure sign; nothin' getting' in his way. Flightline, no other like his kind. First across the finish line, winnin' every race."

Haines plays guitar and is one of three singers along with bass player Bobby Stevens and lead singer Lynnea Barry.

"Lynnea does the lion's share of the singing because she has the best voice," Haines said. "She's uber-talented."

Haines has been a West Point client since 2012 and owned a share of the partnership's grade 2 winner Kanthaka, whom he named after a white horse ridden by Buddha in Buddhist legend. Though he will no longer experience the thrill of seeing Flightline on the racetrack, he retained his percentage of the now-retired Lane's End stallion's breeding rights after the West Point group sold a 2.5% ownership share of the overwhelming favorite for Horse of the Year honors for $4.6 million at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Haines said Flightline will always have a place in his heart, not to mention his music and checkbook.

"I still own 1% percent of him and I'll hold on to that forever," Haines said. "I look at it as my annuity for the rest of my life."