2.5 percent interest in Flightline sells for $4.6 million
Monday afternoon at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, a 2.5 percent interest in Breeders' Cup Classic winner Flightline sold for $4.6 million. The interest was cataloged as Hip 1F. It was offered at 12:30 p.m. EST, half an hour before the beginning of the traditional lots in Book 1 of the Keeneland November sale.
The interest in Flightline sold to agent Fred Seitz for an undisclosed client, as reported by Alicia Hughes. The first bid came in for $700,000, but it quickly escalated to $2.7 million. After a brief rundown of his career, bidding resumed until the hammer dropped at the final $4.6 million price.
A 2.5 percent share in Flightline selling for $4.6 million indicates that his stallion value might be as much as $184 million. William Farish of Lane's End, where Flightline will stand, explained that the price of the share may encompass more than just the raw fraction of Flightline's intrinsic value at stud. "I don't think it would be fair to say he's worth 40 times that, because of the scarcity value of just one share being available," Farish said. Lane's End has not yet determined Flightline's stud fee for 2023.
Flightline concluded his career with a 6: 6-0-0 career record and $4,514,800 in earnings after a 8 1/4-length victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday. Through his career, Flightline was trained by John Sadler for a partnership that included Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine and West Point Thoroughbreds. The 2.5 percent interest sold at Keeneland on Monday was offered by West Point Thoroughbreds.
Woodford Racing, a partnership founded by Farish, joined Flightline's ownership group after his 13 1/4-length debut maiden win on April 24, 2021.
Flightline did not actually stand in the sales ring; his Breeders' Cup blanket and trophy were in the ring in his stead. The Keeneland sale live stream, however, showed an animation of Flightline while the bidding was going on, complete with a white star and a hip tag readinging 1F. Keeneland is experimenting with showing an online virtual sales ring during the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.