Following his smashing debut effort, every one of his remaining five races was an event.

He possessed the persona of the classic showman, always topping himself in every start yet able to leave his fans wanting more. The power he displayed on track commanded attention. And every start, every victory, was simply captivating.

The debut of Flightline was more than a win. It was a signal a star had arrived. The son of Tapit wasted no time making his name known when fans first met him at Santa Anita in April 2021. Already surrounded by intrigue thanks to being the odds-on favorite, Flightline took the early lead against his maiden special weight foes and never looked back as he came home 13 1/4 lengths ahead of the runner up in the six furlong excursion. The final time was excellent, with Flightline stopping the timer in a sparkling 1:08.75.

Some logical questions followed after that mesmerizing outing. First, where would Flightline be seen next? And second, what could he do in his follow-up performance?

The answer to the first question was Del Mar, and the second was he would dominate like he did before.

Back in action in early September, Flightline was again asked to go six furlongs while facing winners for the first time. Now taking on allowance optional claiming company, Flightline made short work of his rivals as he tracked the leader early before taking control in the stretch. It is said facing winners for the first time is a tough task, but Flightline was no ordinary horse. He won by double digits again, the margin this time being 12 3/4 lengths while running a faster six furlong time than before (1:08.05). What the live Del Mar crowd had just witnessed was very rare.

For start number three, Flightline moved up to Grade I company. Back at Santa Anita, he was entered in the Grade I Malibu Stakes on December 26. Once again the star of the race, he became the star of the day as Santa Anita began a new season of racing. Once Flightline grabbed the lead, the race was over. And a double-digit cushion was again on tap as he finished up 11 1/2 lengths to the good. There was no pressure going to the highest level the sport had to offer, and Flightline closed out the year with one of the most memorable performances in the Malibu's history. That also made him a finalist for the Champion Male Sprinter honor at the Eclipse Awards, which turned out to be the only time he ever lost.

Though Flightline raced sporadically, credit must be given to trainer John Sadler for his management of the colt. Sadler, a mainstay on the Southern California circuit and trainer of terrific horses like Melair and Accelerate, knew full well he had a rare gem of a Thoroughbred in his stable. With the support of an ownership team that included Southern California's Hronis Racing LLC, Sadler knew where to spot Flightline. And it can be said he made the right moves.

The next move presented a new challenge to Flightline: shipping. His 2022 debut came at Belmont Park in the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap. On a day that featured the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown, Flightline managed to make news. Overcoming early trouble while attempting routing for the first time, he came home by six lengths while defeating a Breeders' Cup winner in Aloha West and another Grade I winner in Speaker's Corner. As it turned out, the margin of victory in the Met Mile was the smallest in Flightline's career, which underscores the dominance he displayed when in action.

Now that Flightline had successfully navigated a mile, wonder existed as to how he would do at a mile and one-quarter. The answer came in Flightline's return trip to Del Mar around a year after his first appearance at the seaside.

Entered in the Pacific Classic, Flightline was assigned to square off with reigning Dubai World Cup champion Country Grammer and Santa Anita Handicap champion Express Train. With yet another new challenge presented to him, this one consisting of trying the classic ten furlong distance, Flightline met the task head on. And just like before, he made it seem effortless.

After getting the lead on the backstretch, Flightline owned the Pacific Classic. He opened up on his rivals, and was peerless in Del Mar's marquee event. To the awe of the crowd and those watching from afar, Flightline nearly captured the track record but still walked away with a whopping 19 1/4 length score. That obliterated the previous benchmark for margin of victory, making Flightline one of the most memorable winners in Pacific Classic history. And he also answered the question as to whether ten furlongs was in his wheelhouse.

The Pacific Classic set Flightline up for the biggest race of his career: the Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland. With that came a long-awaited showdown with Life Is Good, a terrific horse in his own right. As summer turned into fall, many wondered how the anticipated matchup would play out. Could Life Is Good dethrone Flightline? Or would Flightline put together another memorable exhibition of power in the main event of the Breeders' Cup?

When the Breeders' Cup Classic began, Life Is Good took control at first. Flightline and Flavien Prat, who was the only jockey to ride the Tapit colt on a race day, just bided their time. The showdown finally happened at the top of the stretch, but Life Is Good learned what everyone else had: Flightline was in a class of his own.

With powerful acceleration, Flightline rocketed to the front as the Keeneland crowd came into contact with his brilliance. No one came close to him as he soaked in the cheers and accolades, coming to the wire by 8 1/4 lengths while setting a new record for margin of victory again. Over the last eighteen and a half months, Flightline had no equal. He never would have any equal.

That amazing victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic brought the racing world into a state of euphoria, but it became bittersweet as Flightline was retired the next day. Though it was not Flightline's decision to retire, he followed the act of a great showman. He retired at the top of his game while leaving his fans wanting more.

And like a great showman, Flightline knew how to top himself every time. A dominant debut winner, he made facing winners for the first time look easy. The same went for making the big leap to Grade I company. Shipping was no trouble, and neither was running a mile and one-quarter. And in the biggest race of his career, Flightline shrugged off the pressure. Fearless, dominant and amazing. Those are three words that can perfectly describe him.

Even in retirement, Flightline still collected victories. In the span of just over a week, he captured multiple honors for his work during the 2022 season, including the Eclipse Awards for Champion Older Dirt Male and Horse of the Year. Just over a week before garnering those accolades, he was named the World's Best Racehorse. He just could not be stopped even after leaving the races.

Given Flightline's short career, there will always be questions as to what else he could have done on track. But what is known is that he could seize the moment. He demanded attention even before the race began, as evidenced by being less than even money in every start. He made the stretch run completely his every time, and his combined margin of victory was an astonishing 71 lengths. That comes out to an average of 11.83 lengths per start. Rare is the horse that can put up a number like that. And only one horse ever dared to take on Flightline more than once: Happy Saver. That also speaks to how good Flightline was on track.

While Flightline was a showman, he was also like a conductor. It was as if every race of his was a movement in a grand symphony, each one with its own crescendo. And the Breeders' Cup Classic served as the climactic conclusion. He was always in control, the maestro at every step of a race.

When studying the final times of Flightline's races, it will be found that the total comes out to over nine minutes. But those nine minutes are going to stretch into generations.