Meet the superstar rivalling Baaeed for the title of world's best racehorse

Baaeed is the best, right? He quelled any remaining doubts with an awesome performance in the Juddmonte International, extending his unbeaten record to ten. He heads the World's Best Racehorse Rankings list on a rating of 128, with the figure given before his success on the Knavesmire.

But just one spot and one point below him on that list is American dirt sensation Flightline, who is also unbeaten – albeit from only four starts – and who many Stateside consider to be the most exciting horse in training. The next rankings update on September 15 will take into account Baaeed's York win and Flightline's Pacific Classic run this weekend.

Who is Flightline?

Flightline, who cost $1 million at the Saratoga sales in September 2019, has a prodigious pedigree as a son of Tapit, the most dominant US sire of his era and a producer of 29 Grade 1 winners.

Expectations were high from the moment he first stepped foot into John Sadler's training yard, but it took almost two years following his sale before he was seen on a racecourse, and at one point his racing career looked in major jeopardy after he tore apart his right haunch in a freak stalls accident in training.

Flightline: unbeaten in four startsCredit: Benoit Photo

He is marked by a jagged scar from the incident, and there were fears that the injury would inhibit his huge potential. It turns out there was no need to worry.

What has he done so far?

Despite not racing as a juvenile and missing the Triple Crown races, usually key in determining the best of each generation and shaping future stallion prospects, the four-year-old Flightline has emerged as the best horse in North America after just four starts.

His debut at Santa Anita last April resulted in a 13-and-a-quarter length destruction and he followed that up with another wide-margin victory at Del Mar five months later, both over six furlongs.

He then stepped up to the top level for his third start in the 7f Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on December 26 and produced another utterly dominant performance, achieving a speed figure higher than any horse racing on dirt in North America that season.

With his reputation thoroughly cemented, Flightline continued his explosive upward trajectory on his first start of 2022 and on his first attempt at a mile, when overcoming a slow start to run out an effortless winner of the Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap.

His four victories have come at a breathtaking combined winning margin of 43 and a half lengths, with nobody yet able to lay the slightest glove on him.

What have connections said?

John Sadler, trainer: "This is not an ordinary horse, this is a very special horse. There is a lot of pressure on you, but it is the pressure you want. You know you have something special and he is much the best. You just don't want to screw it up."

Bill Farish, co-owner: "I think everything he has done sets him apart. Flightline is the creme de la creme. He rises echelons above the stars we see every year that come and go. Rarely have we ever had a horse at any level that the trainer has said from work one this is something seriously special."

Flightline and connections after his effortless victory in the Met Mile at Belmont ParkCredit: Adam Coglianese/NYRA

How does he compare with Baaeed?

Comparisons with Baaeed should be taken with a pinch of salt, as it is difficult to compare horses who run on different surfaces. Flightline has raced purely on fast dirt tracks commonplace in the US, while Baaeed has proved dominant on the turf tracks prevalent in Europe.

With that said, the pair are unbeaten, although Baaeed has raced ten times to his rival's four, with nine of those coming over a mile before he stepped up to a mile and a quarter in spectacular style in the Juddmonte.

Flightline has had just the one start at a mile and is yet to race beyond that, with his previous efforts coming over six and seven furlongs.

Perhaps an objective way to compare the world's top-rated runners is on times, with Flightline's stunning effort in the Metropolitan Handicap clocking in at 1min 33.59sec, compared to the 1min 37.74sec it took Baaeed to land the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

Using the rule of thumb that a racing length is the equivalent of one-fifth of a second, that would mean Flightline's effort at the same distance was 20 lengths superior.

However, a direct time comparison between the US and British racing cannot provide a full picture, with races taking place on different surfaces and conditions, while in the US they have a 'run-up', where horses travel a short distance before the timer is triggered. In the Metropolitan, the run-up was 60ft.

What next for Flightline?

The unbeaten superstar will return in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar this Saturday, when he will tackle a mile and a quarter for the first time.

Will he take to the new distance as well as Baaeed did? Time will tell, but he will be a strong favourite to do so and Sadler is confident, although aware of the challenge.

Sadler said: "This is a tough ask. To go from a mile to a mile and a quarter in your fifth start, it's not an easy thing. But we feel he is capable of doing it because he’s that kind of a horse."

A win there will emphasise his position as favourite for the prestigious Breeders' Cup Classic in November, where, dependent on what Baaeed does in the Arc or Champion Stakes, he could surpass Shadwell's star as the world's best.

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