Unbeaten American ace Flightline pulverised the opposition as he won the Grade One TVG Pacific Classic Stakes by 19 and a quarter lengths.
Trained by California-based John W. Sadler, the four-year-old son of Tapit took his career record to a perfect 5-5 with a deeply impressive performance under regular rider Flavien Prat.
The colt was stepping up to a mile and a quarter for the first time but effectively had the top-class contest in safe keeping after powering clear with three furlongs still to travel.
There was a yawning gap back to the chasing pack on turning into the short Del Mar home straight and Prat didn't appear to have to get serious with his mount for Flightline to storm home by the biggest winning margin of his career so far.
Watch it, then watch it again!
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) September 4, 2022
FLIGHTLINE destroys them in the G1 Pacific Classic @DelMarRacing.
Two questions: 1) can anyone stop him in the @BreedersCup Classic?
2) was that the greatest dirt performance since Secretariat? #wayi #BC21
🎥 @tvg
pic.twitter.com/Coy8eYA3Zi
Bookmaker reaction was swift, the horse being cut to 11/10 with Sky Bet, Paddy Power and Betfair for the Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland on November 5. Unibet have US racing's new dirt star as odds-on favourite (10/11) for the country's most prestigious open-age contest.
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