Straight from the horse’s mouth..but they don’t know a horse’s head from its ass...

[freddymo]

I think Claiborne would be willing to trade Mastery and his Advert page for Pappa Clem and some Dogecoin

[blackthroatedwind]

The Easy Goer is no more. Fortunately, or unfortunately, nobody has as of yet told Tom Ryan that social media is not for him.

[RolloTomasi]

Before You Get Abused, Criticized, and Accused/Just Race a Mile in Your Shoes

Less than a month before his expected 4-year-old debut in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Mile Handicap at Belmont Park on June 11, Flightline had a familiar pilot for his five-furlong workout in 59.60 seconds at Santa Anita on Monday.

I like the author’s choice of phrasing here. So many ways to go. “4-year-old debut” has a nice ring to it, even though “second to last career start” is probably more accurate…

Jockey Flavien Prat, who has ridden Flightline in all three of his wins, flew from his new base in New York to partner the exciting colt. The workout was the first time Prat had been aboard Flightline since the colt won his stakes debut by 11 1/2 lengths in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs on Dec. 26.

He hasn’t been on Flightline since the Malibu? I guess when they make a movie of Flightline’s career (Best Live Action Short Film circa 2030?) the jockey won’t be a main character since he doesn’t seem to have a hand in the colt’s development…

On Monday, trainer John Sadler timed Flightline galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.40 and seven furlongs in 1:25. The $1 million Met Mile will be the longest race of Flightline’s career.

“Longest race”? To be fair, I’m sure the horse has at least walked further than a mile on most days, probably by a hotwalker that has more of a hand in his training than Flavien Prat. By the way, that last sentence has no qualifying clause…I hope the whole “longest race of his career” thing isn’t supposed to be a final prediction…

“Career”? He has 3 total starts thus far and averages 5 months in-between each. He’s like a train hopper from Steinbeck novel that shows up for the annual wheat harvest to make a little money to keep himself awash in moonshine the rest of the year…

Sadler said Flightline’s recent training has focused on getting the colt to show patience in the initial furlongs of a workout.

That’s smart since he is going to go a one-turn marathon distance next out. Double smart spending all that time teaching him to settle and then putting up a jockey for a critical work who hasn’t been on the horse for over 5 months…

“We’ve put a lot of work in getting him to relax,” Sadler said.

I’ll say…no race for nearly 6 months? I’d be pretty chill, too.

“He looks like he’s going in a mere gallop.

Most of the time, he looks like he’s just standing in his stall…

He’ll always have speed to get position. He doesn’t have to be a front-runner.

Yeah, he’s looked mighty vulnerable winning by the length of the stretch each time after setting the pace.

Good idea to try to tweak his running style…whatwith the whole extra furlong to navigate…

We’re dialing in.”

Hopefully most racing fans haven’t tuned out by now…

[freddymo]

Most of the time, he looks like he’s just standing in his stall… Does he look fast in the stall?

[blackthroatedwind]

Sometimes it seems we spend more time talking about horses that don't run than horses that do.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Sometimes it seems we spend more time talking about horses that don't run than horses that do.

I will not post another Flightline commentary (until his retirement) if by some miracle we get both Olympiad (Mott wants a Grade 1) and Jack Christopher (Brown doesn't really want to cutback to 7f) in the Met Mile.

Of course, we're more likely to spy Jesus Christ in the front row of Elvis's comeback concert at Shea Stadium next Octember...

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

I will not post another Flightline commentary (until his retirement) if by some miracle we get both Olympiad (Mott wants a Grade 1) and Jack Christopher (Brown doesn't really want to cutback to 7f) in the Met Mile.

Of course, we're more likely to spy Jesus Christ in the front row of Elvis's comeback concert at Shea Stadium next Octember...

Far more likely.

I didn't mean you...I meant all of us in the game.

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Before You Get Abused, Criticized, and Accused/Just Race a Mile in Your Shoes


I like the author’s choice of phrasing here. So many ways to go. “4-year-old debut” has a nice ring to it, even though “second to last career start” is probably more accurate…

He hasn’t been on Flightline since the Malibu? I guess when they make a movie of Flightline’s career (Best Live Action Short Film circa 2030?) the jockey won’t be a main character since he doesn’t seem to have a hand in the colt’s development…

“Longest race”? To be fair, I’m sure the horse has at least walked further than a mile on most days, probably by a hotwalker that has more of a hand in his training than Flavien Prat. By the way, that last sentence has no qualifying clause…I hope the whole “longest race of his career” thing isn’t supposed to be a final prediction…

“Career”? He has 3 total starts thus far and averages 5 months in-between each. He’s like a train hopper from Steinbeck novel that shows up for the annual wheat harvest to make a little money to keep himself awash in moonshine the rest of the year…

That’s smart since he is going to go a one-turn marathon distance next out. Double smart spending all that time teaching him to settle and then putting up a jockey for a critical work who hasn’t been on the horse for over 5 months…

I’ll say…no race for nearly 6 months? I’d be pretty chill, too.

Most of the time, he looks like he’s just standing in his stall…

Yeah, he’s looked mighty vulnerable winning by the length of the stretch each time after setting the pace.

Good idea to try to tweak his running style…whatwith the whole extra furlong to navigate…

Hopefully most racing fans haven’t tuned out by now…

I hope most of them haven't tuned out and I hope you watched him today. Wish I could see him run more but sure as hell going to appreciate the few times we do see him. He's incredible.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

... I hope you watched him today.

I forgot to watch it live but I did watch a replay on my iPhone.

Kinda wished I didn't because the instant mythologizing from a myriad our esteemed turf writers makes for an infinitely more interesting race.

Apparently to some, he smashed into the side of the gate at the break, lost 3 lengths to the field, was checked hard TWICE, was boxed in for half the race, then blew by that horse that lost the Discovery like he was standing still all before being geared down in the stretch.

That...is one magic loogie...er...horse.

Jeff Siegel says he's as good as Spectacular Bid but not as accomplished..."just yet". He must have inside info that Flightline has been working on an advanced degree in Astrophysics during his time away from the races and is close to patenting the first workable time machine so he can go back and have a 2yo and 3yo campaign (and an early 4yo campaign for that matter).

Of course, if the evil Bizarro Spectacular Bid gets his hooves on the time machine he might send himself into the future and make good on his dud stallion career by creating a clone army of himself so as to win every rich faux stakes in North America (and the middle east) for generations to come.

[King Glorious]

Rollo, I hope you were able to see this one live today. It was a decent effort.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Rollo, I hope you were able to see this one live today. It was a decent effort.

Yep, I did in fact watch it live.

Made Country Grammer, Royal Ship, and Express Train look like Grade 3 horses.

Of course, they are Grade 3 horses...