2022 Breeders' Cup Classic

Last updated
39th Breeders' Cup Classic
Breeders' Cup Classic
Location Keeneland
DateNovember 5, 2022 (2022-11-05)
Winning horse Flightline
Winning time2:00.05
Final odds0.44
Jockey Flavien Prat
Trainer John W. Sadler
OwnerHorris Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing
Conditions Fast [1]
SurfaceDirt
←  2021

The 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic was the 39th running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, part of the 2022 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships program, and the fourth race in the so-called Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing in North America. It was run on November 5, 2022 at Keeneland Racetrack in Lexington, Kentucky. It featured the top-ranked older horses in the United States, Flightline, Life Is Good and Olympiad, and the leading three-year-olds, Epicenter and Taiba. Flightline, the odds-on favorite, won the race by 8+1⁄4 lengths, and is all but certain to be named the American Horse of the Year.

Contents

The Classic is run on dirt at one mile and one-quarter (approximately 2000 m). The purse of $6,000,000 was the highest in North America in 2022. The race is run under weight-for-age conditions, with entrants carrying the following weights:

The race was broadcast on NBC.

Contenders

The Breeders' Cup Classic is open to up to 14 starters, with automatic berths for horses that win one of the designated "Win and You're In" races in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Challenge series. Other horses are ranked by their performances in graded stakes races and by the judgement of a panel of racing experts. [2]

Entries were taken on October 31 after which the post position draw was held. All eight entrants had won a Grade I race at some point in their career, and six were coming off wins in their previous start. The leading contenders include: [3] [4] [5]

Race description

The two favorites, Flightline and Life Is Good, both had front-running styles and the concern before the race was that they would tire each other out in an early speed duel, opening the door to late closers. [6] As expected, Life Is Good went to the early lead with Flightline a half-length behind after an opening quarter mile in a brisk 22.55 seconds. Around the first turn, Life Is Good widened the lead to two lengths, completing the half mile in very fast :45.47. He maintained the lead down the backstretch as the two front-runners opened a thirteen length lead after three-quarters of a mile in 1:09.62 . Going into the final turn, Flightline began to make up ground, then took the lead after a mile in 1:34.58. (For contrast, the Dirt Mile run earlier that day was run in 1:35.33). At the top of the stretch, Flightline quickly drew away from Life Is Good, then continued to open the lead to win by 8+1⁄4 lengths over Olympiad and Taiba. Life Is Good tired and eventually finished fifth. [1]

Flightline was the shortest-price winner in the history of the race [7] and his winning margin of 8+1⁄4 lengths was the longest. "That's a pretty special horse," said Bill Mott, who trained the runner-up Olympiad. "He chased down a fast horse and then kept going and drew off. You just don’t see that." [8]

"The plan was to make Flightline earn it," said Elliott Walden of WinStar Farm, which co-owns Life Is Good. "They are both great horses but the fractions took a toll on him... We have no regrets. We tried the mile and a quarter and we competed. That's what we were here to do." [9]

Epicenter was pulled up on the backstretch after suffering a fracture in the condyloid joint of his right foreleg. He underwent surgery at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital and was expected to recover to recover fully for stud duties. [9] [10]

Results

FinishProgram
Number		HorseJockeyTrainerMorning Line
Odds [11] 		Final OddsWinningsMargin
14 Flightline Flavien Prat John W. Sadler 0.44*$3,120,000
27 Olympiad Junior Alvarado William I. Mott 26.88$1,020,0008+1⁄4 lengths
31 Taiba Mike E. Smith Bob Baffert 8.26$540,0008+3⁄4 lengths
48 Rich Strike Sonny Leon Eric Reed 24.61$300,00011+1⁄4 lengths
52 Life Is Good Irad Ortiz Jr Todd Pletcher 8.81$180,00012+1⁄2 lengths
65 Hot Rod Charlie Tyler Gaffalione Doug O'Neill 16.98$120,00015 lengths
73Happy Saver John Velazquez Todd Pletcher 49.21$60,00018+1⁄2 lengths
DNF6 Epicenter Joel Rosario Steve Asmussen 6.14DNF

Times:1⁄4 – 22.55; 1⁄2 – 45.47; 3⁄4 – 1:09.27 [lower-alpha 1] ; mile – 1:34.58; final – 2:00.05 [1]
Splits for each quarter-mile: (22.55) (22.92) (23.80) (25.31) (25.47)

  1. ↑ This fraction was amended after an outrider tripped the timing beam early as he was making his way to tend to Epicenter. [12]

Payout

Payout Schedule: [1]

Program
Number		HorseWinPlaceShow
4Flightline$2.88$2.92$2.30
7Olympiad$12.38$7.16
1Taiba$4.00

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Chart of the Breeders' Cup Classic". Equibase. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  2. ↑ "How It Works | Breeders' Cup". www.breederscup.com. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  3. ↑ "NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll - October 31, 2022". NTRA. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  4. ↑ "Equibase Analysis: Can Flightline Catch Life Is Good In The Classic?". paulickreport.com. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  5. ↑ Martin, Guy. "Breeders' Cup Classic 2022: Post Positions, Odds, And Why Life Is Good Is Flightline's Biggest Threat". Forbes. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  6. ↑ Ehalt, Bob. "Flightline, Life Is Good matchup highlights Breeders Cup". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  7. ↑ "What does shaky history of odds-on BC Classic favorites mean for Flightline?". The TwinSpires Edge. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  8. ↑ Layden, Tim (6 November 2022). "In crowning moment, Flightline delivers race to remember at emotional Breeders' Cup Classic". NBC Sports. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  9. 1 2 Ehalt, Bob. "Flightline delivers dominant BC Classic performance". Bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  10. ↑ "Epicenter Stable, Expected to Recover Fully for Stallion Career". TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News. 6 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  11. ↑ "Flightline, Life Is Good matchup highlights Breeders' Cup Classic". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  12. ↑ "Equibase Amends Six-Furlong Classic Split After Review". www.bloodhorse.com. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
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