“It seems the entire country, perhaps the world, is waiting with bated breath to see Flightline in the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” stated Jeannine Edwards, the former ESPN and ABC Sportscaster.
Of course, Jeannine Edwards is talking of the Ladbrokes $1.57 odd-on favourite Flightline for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, run on dirt over 1¼m at Keeneland on Saturday 5 November.
In being compared to the great Secretariat, Jeannine Edwards eyed that last start “Pacific Classic as the 1¼ test, which Flightline passed with flying colours and having much left in the tank.”
Yes, Jeannine you’re correct, “Flightline is a rare specimen” with that run-away 19¼ length defeat of Country Grammar that’s made him the World’s Best Racehorse with a 139 ranking.
What ranking will he receive for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, as he’s the highest World Ranked Racehorse on dirt, 1lb below the great Frankel on 140, with Cigar in 1996 the previous highest on 135.
Trained by John Sadlier and always ridden by Flavien Prat, he races in the green and white silks of Hronis Racing, and being by Tapit was a $1m graduate of the 2019 NY Saratoga Select Sale.
Now the winner of all five starts, it began over 6 furlongs by 13½ length in a Special Weight Maiden as an April 3yo, and three starts and 7 months later it was the Malibu Stakes by 11½ lengths.
Six months on and at 1 mile, Flightline scored by 6 lengths from the Jockey Club Gold Cup hero Happy Saver at odds of 9/20 in the famous ‘Met Mile,’ the Metropolitan Mile at Belmont Park.
Now for Jeannine as a 39th Breeders’ Cup Ambassador, is 22 years knowledge of ESPN and ABC sports reporting and being named one of ‘40 Women Who Raised The Bar In Sports Media.’
Having ridden and trained racehorses, to ESPN’s live ‘National Best Seven’ and ‘NTRA 2day At The Races,’ its been three shared Eclipse Awards and side-line College football and basketball.
“Yes you ask, one fine memory is the incomparable Goldikova, in not only for being the extraordinary specimen that she was, but when she won the BC Mile for the third year in a row in 2010.”
“She gave everyone at Churchill Downs, and those watching at home, chills! It was captivating! An indelible moment in BC history and I’m so glad to have had the privilege of being a part of it.”
“Perhaps even more endearing was the footage of her groom…. running…. screaming…. cheering…. jumping down the track as Goldikova flew down the stretch in the hands of Olivier Peslier.”
“The footage was shot by our ace cameraman, Tom Stone, who happened to be shooting near the top of the stretch and started filming the groom when he just took off running…. running.”
“The brutal turn of events that encapsulated the 2007 Breeders Cup at Monmouth Park is another memory that stands out as cursed from the start with four straight days of torrential rain.”
“The rain never let up, which took a lot of the joy out of the event, and getting around was difficult because of all the standing water and mud what is normally a glorious two days of racing.”
“So much time an effort, with Monmouth Park investing $25 million in upgrades in advance of the event, and being freezing cold and sopping wet for five straight days, two of those on-air.”
“Then what was to be an epic Classic, featuring Curlin, Hard Spun, Street Sense, all anyone could focus on post-race was the tragic injury and demise of European champion George Washington.”
“Never fun, it was a wickedly cruel end to a difficult week, which has taken us onto Flightline who has won us over with his brilliance and perfection. Perfection is intoxicating!”
