He seems to be doing pretty well.
Lol. I meant if they were just being careful and keeping him fit and primed, he would be bursting out of his skin being fit for 4-6 months between races.
Instead, what’s likely happening is they are having to back off training for several weeks to heal him up. It may just be a lot of bad luck or he may be one of “those” horses who is constantly doing something to themselves.
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They said that he came out of the race well, and scoped clean.
Do you really think he’s fragile or that perhaps they are racing him “lightly” at this point, not because there is something wrong with him, but because he’s unbeaten and his value at stud will be enormous?
I suppose we will see when he’s galloping, breezing or working. I’m sure the racing press will be all over it. He’s based at Santa Anita and Juan Leyva seemed really happy about how well he traveled to New York and how he’s “matured”.
https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Next_start_for_Flightline_Pacific_Classic_or_Travers_123
I’d like to see him run at Saratoga, but you can’t blame them if they choose the Pacific Classic so they don’t have to travel.
If they were to race him before the Pacific Classic or the Whitney (obviously hypothetical) in which race would you like to see him run?
I don’t know, I’m not the one with hands on him. But I do know that no one would purposely race a million dollar horse on that kind of schedule. Racehorse’s careers are emphemeral.
I don’t like the word “fragile” because I think it implies breaking like Eight Belles, etc. A horse with soundness problems might have a catastrophic race day injury, but more often than not, you’re dealing with a series of minor ailments that continuously prevent training. A hoof bruise one day, a tiny scratch that turns into cellulitis the next day, a low grade mystery fever after that, a few good days then the horse needs 27 stitches from lightly brushing up against its water bucket… not to mention regular aches and pains from strenuous physical exertion. I’m not saying that’s what’s going on here, but it wouldn’t be surprising.
I’d love to see him run at Saratoga, too.
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Yes, I know that with horses anything can go wrong. I had a very accident prone mare, thankfully she never seriously injured herself. She never panicked when she hung herself up on things or cast herself in the stall, or, or…
I was wondering, hypothetically, if the 1M horse was yours and sound, where would you race it between now and the Pacific Classic or the Whitney?
Those decisions are above my pay grade. 
But it’s only 6 weeks to the Whitney and 10 to the Pacific Classic. Either one is a very normal spacing following the Met Mile and I would not necessarily expect him to run before either one. Nothing like the December to June gap he had earlier this year.
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So then if he goes to the Breeders Cup after either of those races, he would be on a “normal” schedule? (for a fancy 1M racehorse) 
Traditionally it’s common to go Pacific Classic to Breeders Cup without a race. It’s only 10 weeks or so. Some horses may race in between, like Accelerate did.
The Whitney is a bit longer of a stretch and many horses run again in September before the BC. That’s what Gun Runner, Vino Rosso, etc. did.
Thanks! Which race did they choose in September? Sorry, for all the questions, I am interested. It seems as if he is running now as per normal for a big time racehorse.
Woodward? Gold Cup?
I’m sure they always wanted him to keep a “normal” schedule. No one said “I hope he wins the Malibu and has nearly half a year off.”
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No, I’m sure that wasn’t the plan.
Hopefully he’s in good shape now.
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<Edited because I can’t find the horse I thought I was remembering and now I think I’m going crazy. 
>
Sorry. It is probably my fault for asking you to answer so many hypotheticals. 
I am superstitous and would worry to run him at Saratoga. But I am sure his trainer will not run him there unless he is sure the horse loves the surface.
(edited to fix worng trainer-Pletcher on the brain!)
It sounds as if his ownership group really wants him to run in the Pacific Classic but say they’ll leave it up to Sadler.
It’ll be Interesting to hear his reasoning if he chooses the Whitney. Surely he won’t send the horse across the country for the 1/8th of a mile difference?
It’ll be interesting to see who will want to run against Flightline. There may be some short fields wherever he goes, not that there aren’t short fields everywhere already.
