LEXINGTON, Ky. — Running the biggest race of a brief career, Flightline left no doubt about this year’s top thoroughbred.
The unbeaten colt posted another dominant run, overtaking Life Is Good entering the top of the stretch and pulling away to an 8¼-length victory in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday at Keeneland, and all but locking up honors as Horse of the Year.
“Brilliant is his normal,” trainer John Sadler said. “He didn’t disappoint, and never has. … This race, he’s just a remarkable, remarkable horse.”
The 4-year-old bay colt entered the Grade 1 race 5-0 lifetime with an average victory margin of nearly 13 lengths, making him the overwhelming 3-5 favorite over the eight-horse field that included Kentucky Derby upset winner Rich Strike and 5-1 second choice Epicenter. Flightline went off at 2-5 from the No. 4 post, and he and Todd Pletcher-trained Life Is Good, at 8-1, separated themselves from the pack with a blistering pace, building a 9-length gap through the far turn.
Sadler’s pupil was moving up at that point and eventually passed Life Is Good before the stretch, quickly building a 2-length gap that steadily grew from there. Olympiad (10-1) soon overtook Life Is Good with Bob Baffert-trained Taiba gaining, though both were far behind the horse who has earned lofty comparisons to legendary Triple Crown champion Secretariat.
His remarkable run in the Classic will likely ratchet up the praise, and the trainer didn’t shy away from it.
“He’s just that rare horse that happens every 20 or 30 years,” Sadler added. “One of the best American racehorses we’ve seen in a long, long time. And I’m talking back to Secretariat, Seattle Slew, you go through the list.
“What I try to be is a good steward to him. If you’re good with your horse, he’ll be good with you.”
Ridden by Flavien Prat, Flightline covered the 1¼ mile in 2:00.05 and paid $2.88, $2.92 and $2.30. His winning time was just off Authentic’s record of 1:59.60 set here two years ago.
Olympiad returned $12.38 and $7.16 for place and Taiba paid $4 to show. Rich Strike was fourth and Life Is Good fifth.
Taiba provided a high note for the embattled Baffert, who was back in Kentucky after stewards suspended him for 90 days earlier this year following a failed postrace drug test by disqualified 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. The colt gave him something to smile about despite starting on the rail at 8-1 odds.
“He has so much heart,” Baffert said. “He’s running against two outstanding 4-year-olds. I would have loved to run second.”
Epicenter, considered a strong Horse of the Year favorite with four wins and three seconds, was pulled up by jockey Joel Rosario in the backstretch with an injured right forelimb. He walked into a van and was taken to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for evaluation.
While Pletcher came up short in the Classic, his filly Malathaat provided the day’s most exciting finish by winning the $2 million Distaff by nose over Blue Stripe and Clairiere and in a three-wide photo finish.
The 2021 3-year-old champion filly and 3-1 choice surged from the middle between the final turns and was on the outside among five horses in the stretch before she broke free with Clairiere to her left and Blue Stripe on the rail over the final 100 yards. Malathaat eventually caught Clairiere and nosed past Blue Stripe at the wire, which replay confirmed.
Blue Stripe was second by a nose over Clairiere, who beat Malathaat’s stablemate Nest (9-5) by 3¼ lengths.
“Where I was positioned, I thought we won,” Pletcher said. “And then every time I watched the replay, it seemed like it got closer and closer. I thought she won, but I wasn’t a million percent sure.”
The nine-race Breeders’ Cup card went off with partly sunny skies and stiff crosswinds blowing across the infield and backstretch. It became more overcast as the Classic neared but without precipitation.
Most importantly, the grandstands were full, a stark and welcome contrast to the 2020 edition held here without spectators because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In other Breeders’ Cup races before a crowd of 45,973 at Keeneland:
$4 million Turf: Rebel’s Romance swept past the leaders with a furlong left and ran to a 2¼-length victory over fellow Irish-bred Stone Age. The race featured nine Irish horses, one from Brazil and another from China.
$2 million Filly and Mare Turf: Tuesday caught In Italian at the 1/16th mark and ran to a 1-length victory. The Irish-bred Tuesday won for the third time this year and ended a four-race drought.
$2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile: Irish-bred Modern Games earned a ¾-length victory, one of two on the day for Charles Appleby.
$2 million Sprint: Elite Power won by 1¼ lengths over C Z Rocket, one of two wins for trainer Bill Mott.
$1 million Dirt Mile: Favorite Cody’s Wish caught and then outdueled Cyberknife in the stretch to win by a head. The colt was named for Cody Dorman, 17, who has Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. A postrace inquiry initially delayed the finish becoming official as stewards examined possible interference between Cyberknife, Slow Down Andy and Law Professor. The finish was upheld.
$1 million Turf Sprint: 42-1 long shot Caravel pulled the upset, going wire-to-wire in beating British-bred Emaraaty Ana by half a length.
$1 million Filly and Mare Sprint: Goodnight Olive moved to the front entering the stretch and won the seven-furlong Breeders’ Cup opener by 2½ lengths over Echo Zulu. She earned her sixth consecutive victory and fourth as a 4-year-old.
FRISCO, Texas — A dynamic new quarterback, a new offensive system and two projected first-round picks up front have Utah coach Kyle Whittingham feeling enthusiastic about the Utes’ chances of bouncing back from a disastrous debut season in the Big 12.
Utah was voted No. 1 in the Big 12 preseason poll last year after joining from the Pac-12, but a brutal run of injuries and inconsistency resulted in a seven-game conference losing streak and a 5-7 finish — the program’s first losing season since 2013.
After weeks of contemplation about his future and what was best for the program, Whittingham, the third-longest-tenured head coach in FBS, decided in December to return for his 21st season with the Utes.
“The bottom line and the final analysis was I couldn’t step away on that note,” Whittingham told ESPN at Big 12 media days Wednesday. “It was too frustrating, too disappointing. As much as college football has changed with all the other factors that might pull you away, that was the overriding reason: That’s not us, that’s not who we are. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. I did not want to miss the opportunity to try to get that taste out.”
“The bottom line and the final analysis was I couldn’t step away on that note. It was too frustrating, too disappointing. … That’s not us. That’s not who we are. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. I did not want to miss the opportunity to try to get that taste out.”
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham on going 5-7 in 2024
Whittingham and Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley conducted a national search for a new offensive coordinator and quickly zeroed in on New Mexico‘s Jason Beck. Then they managed to land Devon Dampier, Beck’s first-team All-Mountain West quarterback, via the transfer portal.
After finishing 11th nationally in total offense with 3,934 yards and 31 total touchdowns and putting up the fourth-most rushing yards (1,166) among all FBS starters, Dampier followed his coach to Salt Lake City and immediately asserted himself as a difference-maker for a program that had to start four different QBs in 2024.
“He’s a terrific athlete,” Whittingham said. “He’s a guy that, if spring is any indication, he’s an exciting player, and we can’t wait to watch him this season. … He’s got that ‘it’ factor. He’s a leader. Needless to say, very excited to see what he does for us.”
“We feel they’re the best tandem in the country,” Whittingham said. “The offensive line in general, I feel, it’s the best since I’ve been there. And that’s quite a statement. We’ve had some really good offensive lines. We’ve got two first-rounders and three seniors inside that have played a lot of good football for us. That better be a strength of ours, and that’s what we’re counting on.”
Whittingham has previously said he did not want to coach past the age of 65. Now that he’s 65, he acknowledges that he might’ve arrived at a different decision about his future had the Utes ended up winning the Big 12 in 2024. He is reenergized about getting them back into contention, but he’s not ready to say whether this season might be his last.
“The best answer I can give you is, right now, I’m excited and passionate about going to work every single day,” Whittingham said. “As soon as that changes, I’ll know it’s time. I’m just counting on knowing when the time is right. I can’t tell you exactly what the circumstances will be other than losing the fire in the belly.”
Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
The automated ball-strike system is coming to the All-Star Game next week in Atlanta.
MLB officials added the feature to the annual exhibition game knowing it could be a precursor to becoming a permanent part of the major leagues as soon as next year.
The same process used this past spring training will be used for the Midsummer Classic: Each team will be given two challenges with the ability to retain them if successful. Only a pitcher, catcher or hitter can ask for a challenge and it has to happen almost immediately after the pitch. The player will tap his hat or helmet indicating to the umpire he wants to challenge while any help from the dugout or other players on the field is not allowed.
MLB officials say 72% of fans who were polled during spring training said the impact of ABS on their experience at the game was a “positive” one. Sixty-nine percent said they’d like it part of the game moving forward. Just 10% expressed negativity toward it.
MLB’s competition committee will meet later this summer to determine if ABS will be instituted next season after the league tested the robotic system throughout the minor leagues and spring training in recent years. Like almost any rule change, there were mixed reviews from players about using ABS but nearly all parties agree on one point: They prefer a challenge system as opposed to the technology calling every pitch.
As was the case in spring training, once a review is initiated, an animated replay of the pitch will be shown on the scoreboard and the home plate umpire will either uphold the call or overturn it. ABS uses Hawk-Eye system technology which tracks the pitch trajectory and location in relation to the strike zone, providing an instant assessment which can be relayed to the home plate umpire.
The All-Star Game will be played at Truist Park in Atlanta on Tuesday.
The Kansas City Royals have signed former Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel to a minor league contract, the team announced Wednesday.
The 37-year-old left-hander will start at Triple-A Omaha and will earn a prorated $2 million salary if he reaches the big leagues, sources tell ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Keuchel has not pitched in the majors for nearly a full calendar year. He elected to become a free agent on July 18, 2024, after being designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers.
In four starts with the Brewers last season, Keuchel had a 5.40 ERA in 16 2/3 innings without a decision. In 13 major league seasons, the 2015 American League Cy Young winner with the Houston Astros is 103-92 with a 4.04 ERA in 282 appearances (267 starts).
After pitching his first seven seasons with the Astros, Keuchel has made appearances for six different teams since 2019. He won a World Series with Houston in 2017 and is a two-time All-Star selection and five-time Gold Glove winner.
Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.