Flightline Fillies Stand Out on Saratoga Sale Day 1

Six years ago, sitting in the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion on East Avenue in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., West Point Thoroughbreds' Terry Finley signed the ticket for a bay Tapit colt, spending an even $1 million for the horse that would be named Flightline. Back in that same pavilion Aug. 4, Finley went to $1.1 million for a Flightline daughter, the first of the 2022 Horse of the Year's offspring to enter the Saratoga ring. Hip 34 is out of the American Pharoah mare All American Dream, a $775,000 RNA at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. Unplaced in two starts, she is also the dam of San Vicente Stakes (G2) winner Barnes, who sold in the same pavilion two years ago for $3.2 million. Hip 34 was consigned by Indian Creek, agent. "She's really a tank," Finley said of the filly's physique. "She's a beautiful physical specimen—she looks like a portrait. She reminds us quite a bit of Flightline." West Point brought in a quartet of heavy-hitting owners to campaign Flightline, and he expects to create a similar partnership with the filly. "But if that doesn't work," he said, "we have a lot of interest within West Point, and we'll probably have her done very quickly." The filly was bred in Kentucky by Jeff Drown and Don Rachel LLC. Next through the ring was Hip 59, a bay filly consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, agent, that sold to Live Oak Plantation for $600,000. "I've said all along that Flightline is maybe the best horse I've ever seen," said Mark Casse, who trains for Charlotte Weber's Live Oak. "This filly was very athletic, and Mrs. Weber was out this morning and looked at her and liked her." Bred in Kentucky by Newtown Anner Stud Farm, Hip 59 is out of the two-time graded stakes winner Carolyn's Cat, who has produced 11 foals to make it to the races, seven of them winners, with six earning six figures on track. "I thought the price was fair," Casse said. "I actually thought she might bring a little bit more." Earlier in the evening, Finley had expressed exactly the same sentiment about Hip 34. The final Flightline filly to go through the ring was a first for her breeders, Kathleen Burke Schweizer and Daniel J. Burke. Well known in New York breeding circles, they had never before sold a horse at the Saratoga sale. Hip 102, consigned by Eaton Sales, agent, brought $625,000 from Chad Schumer on behalf of "an established client outside the country." He added that the filly would race in the United States. The chestnut filly is out of the Bellamy Road mare Georgie's Angel, winner of the 2011 Schuylerville Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course. Schweizer and Burke acquired her in 2020 for $75,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in foal to Arrogate. Earlier that year, she had foaled Cave Rock, also by Arrogate and an eventual multiple grade 1 winner. That 2021 full brother to Arrogate sold for a record $700,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale in 2022. "She's just an amazing dam," Schweizer said. "We love her, and this is a great next step for her." "Flightline is just an unbelievable horse," Schumer said. "I've liked pretty much everything I've seen by him, and this filly is a half to a grade 1 winner." The three fillies by Flightline sold for a total of $2,325,000. "I think he's going to make a mark on the breeding and racing industries for the next several decades," Finley said. Six more yearlings by Flightline will go through the ring during the final night of the sale Aug. 5 beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. Full Brother to National Treasure Sells to Wathnan Already crowned with a name that portends great things, Dynasty, a full brother to 2023 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner National Treasure, sold for $750,000 to Wathnan Racing at the Aug. 4 opening session of the Saratoga sale. As Hip 10, the bay colt by Quality Road out of the Medaglia d'Oro dam Treasure was consigned by Bridie Harrison, acting as agent for Peter Blum who bred National Treasure, a winner of $5,578,000 during his racing career. Case Clay, United States racing manager for Wathnan Racing, did the bidding and signed the slip as Case Clay Thoroughbred Management. Wathnan's principal is Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar. "Peter Blum is an excellent breeder," Clay said. "Bridie Harrison raises a great horse. He's a full brother to National Treasure, and the mare seems to keep doing it. We're very happy to get him. "He looks like a really well-balanced horse and is athletic. He really catches the eye at first impression." The Quality Road colt is the first of three horses who are related to Preakness winners to sell this year at this sale. Also selling on the final day of the sale, Aug. 5, is Hip 165, a half sister to Journalism, the winner of this year's middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Hip 209, a half to 2024 Preakness winner Seize the Grey, will also sell on the final evening of the sale.