ANY debate about whether Flightline would continue to race after his annihilation of the field in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic was quickly quenched with his arrival at Lane’s End Farm to begin stallion duties in the spring.

It was a no-brainer, given his earning potential, and a 1/40th share in Flightline sold on Monday for $4.6 million, giving him a valuation of $184 million.

The debate will rage for a long time about how great a racehorse he was, especially when his racing career spanned just six starts at three and four. Undefeated, and a four-time Grade 1 winner, he was bred to be good, being a son of three-time leading US sire Tapit (Pulpit), and out of the Grade 3 winner Feathered (Indian Charlie), runner-up in the Grade 1 American Oaks.

Top-level

A $1 million yearling, Flightline won more than $4.5 million and has a strong female line. Both his third and fourth dams are Grade 1 winners. His fifth dam Blitey (Riva Ridge) was runner-up at that level but, at stud, produced three top-level winners. Flightline was bred by Summer Wind’s Jane Lyon’s from a mare who cost $2,350,000 at Keeneland.

Feathered is now dam of three winners and she is the best of three winners from the stakes-placed Receipt (Dynaformer), one of five winners produced by Finder’s Fee (Storm Cat), among the leading racemares of her generation. At two she won the Grade 1 Matron Stakes, and at three added the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes. She was the best of nine winning progeny from Fantastic Find (Mr Prospector).

Like her daughter, Fantastic Find was a high-class runner, the highlight of her six victories coming in the Grade 1 Hempstead Handicap. One of her other talented runners was the leading hurdler Tax Ruling (Dynaformer), successful in the Grade 1 Colonial Cup, and twice in the Grade 1 Iroquois Hurdle.

Fantastic Find is a half-sister to Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Dancing Spree (Nijinsky), and Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes winner Furlough (Easy Goer).