LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Unbeaten Flightline is the 3-5 morning-line favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic and will start the $6 million season finale from the No. 4 post position on Saturday at Keeneland.
The 4-year-old bay colt was the first entrant announced by Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari in Monday’s draw at Rupp Arena, home floor of the fourth-ranked Wildcats. Flightline is coming off a 19 1/4-length domination of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in September.
Flightline is looking to improve to 6-0 lifetime against an eight-horse field that includes Kentucky Derby longshot winner Rich Strike, starting the 1 1/4-mile race from the No. 8 at 20-1 odds — and horse of the year candidate Epicenter, the 5-1 second choice from the No. 6 post. Life is Good is the 6-1 third choice from the No. 2 post.
Taiba will start from the rail at 8-1 odds for embattled Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who will make his return to Kentucky for the first time since being suspended for 90 days earlier this year by Kentucky racing stewards after his colt Medina Spirit failed a postrace drug test after the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
The colt has three wins and a second in five career starts this year, most recently winning the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby.
Post time for the Classic is 5:40 p.m. EDT at Keeneland, which is hosting the season-ending championships for the second time in three years after the 2020 Breeders’ Cup was run without spectators because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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