Share sale values American superstar at AU$285 million
Just two days after news of his retirement, Flightline has been valued at AU$285m after a share in the undefeated American superstar was sold in Keeneland, Kentucky.
A 2.5 percent share in the four-year-old son of Tapit, who on Sunday took his record to six wins from as many starts with an 8-1/4-length win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (2012m), sold for $7.1m.
The share was knocked down to Brookvale Farm’s Freddy Seitz, who was acting on behalf of an undisclosed buyer.
“He is very excited about this horse and wanted to make a big splash,” Seitz said of the buyer.
“He has dealt with some good horses in the past, but nothing like this – I’m not sure any of us have dealt with a horse like this – but he just called and said I want make a big splash and get involved a little more in the business.
“I’d like to tell you what his name is but right now he asked me to keep it confidential.”
Kosta Hronis, part-owner of Flightline, said the sale figure, which was $4.6m in US dollars, was a pleasant surprise.
“I was thinking around four (million dollars), so the 4.6 was really a pleasure,” Hronis told RSN927.
“It was a little higher than I thought, buy there are no shares for sale, so for it to go at that price was not a big, big surprise. I thought it was good value.”
Flightline’s Grade 1 Breeders Cup win followed a 19-1/2-length win in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic (2012m).
His only other start as a four-year-old yielded a six-length win in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap (1609m) at Belmont Park, while his three starts as a three-year-old produced wins by 13-1/2 lengths, 13 lengths and 11-1/2 lengths.
The day after his Breeders’ Cup win, it was announced Flightline had run his last race and would stand at Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky.
