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Warm Reception

Aug 20, 2025

The babies (yearlings) of undefeated Flightline are now coming to market. The first three sold in Japan in early July at the Japan Racing Horse Association Select Sale. The final prices were $1.283 million, $1.216 million and $709,000 for an average of $1.069 million. The stud fee for these yearlings was $200,000 so a nice return for the breeders who “bred to sell”.

On August 4th and 5th, Flightline’s first yearlings in North America were sold at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. I went over to the Sale and you could feel the anticipation in the air. The first Flightline yearling to enter the sales ring was Hip # 34. The bidding was spirited and when the hammer fell, the colt sold for $1.1 million. Over the course of both days, eight Flightline yearlings sold for an average of $887,500. The average was the highest for any sire whose first crop of yearlings were represented at the Sale!

For anyone who didn’t get an opportunity to buy a Flightline yearling, 64 are entered at the upcoming Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Lexington, Kentucky (September 8 – September 20). Based on the results of the JRHA and Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sales, I’m confident the interest level in obtaining a Flightline yearling will remain high.

Michael McCarthy (trainer of 2025 Preakness Stakes winner Journalism)

First Flightline yearling sold in North America

First Flightline yearling leaving sales ring

 

Trainer Bob Baffert

If you’re curious why so many people are anxious to buy a Flightline yearling, take ten minutes to watch this compilation of his six races. He was a “generational” horse and they only come along every 50 years or so.