Unbeaten and seemingly unbeatable, Flightline has won his five starts by a total of 63 lengths and in the last of them put up a performance to provoke comparisons to the legendary champion of almost half a century ago, Secretariat.
If a European audience can point out how dirt is able to throw up freakish winning distances sometimes, turf racing for many locals in Kentucky remains a relative sideshow. So, this 39th Breeders’ Cup, with 14 Grade One races worth $31 million in all, is building to a crescendo on Saturday night. In the circumstances, Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle team could be grateful for not having a Classic contender this time.
Where O’Brien has overcome that to most effect at the Breeders’ Cup is in the mile-and-a-half Turf due off at 8.40pm. Half a dozen times he has won it in the past, including twice with High Chaparral . It will be a much noisier environment this time as well as perhaps a tougher contest with Modern Games and Kinross in opposition.It will be the same in the Filly & Mare race off at 5.50 although some layers give local runner In Italian a major chance.