Considered the best horse in the world on dirt (one of the three types of sand track),
Flightline
confirmed its status by brilliantly winning the Breeders' Cup Classic (Gr. I) over the distance of 2,000 m by more than eight lengths ahead of his immediate follower!
Under the saddle of the French, Flavien Prat (second Habs to win this prestigious event after Florent Geroux in 2017), the 4-year-old male remains undefeated in six outings.
"He ran magnificently," said John Sadler, the winner's trainer.
It's wonderful when everything goes as planned.
He is one of the greatest horses of all time.
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𝗙𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 and 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘁, on top of the world!
The 2022 edition of the 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀' 𝗖𝘂𝗽 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰 returns to the best horse in the world on the dirt.
He remains undefeated in 6 outings.
pic.twitter.com/gSXvQmTYUQ
— Equidia (@equidia) November 5, 2022
Son of Frédéric Prat, a well-known trotting trainer, and brother of Alexis, Flavien Prat abandoned his first love to turn to gallopers: “Like many, I followed my father very young, explains the young man.
We went to the races every weekend.
Then, between the ages of 10 and 14, I took part in pony races, first in Normandy and Mayenne, then in the Rambouillet region.
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At 14, he joined the Moulin-à-Vent, the training school for future jockeys, in Gouvieux (Oise).
“I have always been attracted to galloping.
And as my size and my weight seemed to allow me to do this job, I chose to become a gallop jockey.
Apprentice to trainer Tony Clout, he quickly revealed his talent and won the Étrier d'or in 2009, which rewards the best apprentice of the year, before winning the important Prix Marcel Boussac (Gr. I) in 2013 in the saddle on
Indonesian
, for Christophe Ferland, after having signed, the previous year, a contract of aftermarket for the stable of the Wertheimer Brothers.
In 2014, then aged 22, Flavien Prat decided to move to the United States and is now one of the best jockeys on his new continent.
He reached the 1,000 victories mark in the United States last winter at the Santa Anita racetrack.