On Friday, June 25, at Aqueduct, on the final weekend in the 132-year history of the track, Flight Command delivered a sensational debut – soaring to a 10-length victory at 5 ½ furlongs.
His sire happens to be Flightline, who produced a similar debut on April 24, 2021, winning by 13 ¼ lengths going 6 furlongs at Santa Anita. He went on to an unbeaten career (6-for-6) capped by an 8 ¼-length romp in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
On Saturday, Flight Command returns for a highly-anticipated second start, taking on five fellow 2-year-olds in the $250,000 Saratoga Special (G1) at 6 ½ furlongs.
Flavien Prat, who rode Flightline in all six of his races, will be aboard Flight Command, the 9-5 second choice on the morning line behind Booked at 7-5.
The rest of the field includes How’s Al Today (6-1), Rasai (15-1), Twinkle Town (7-2) and Uncle Kef.
If you’re a bettor as well as a fan of the LSU Tigers, you likely know by now the owners of Flight Command have no connection with the school in Baton Rouge. LSU stands for Larry Sarf, his wife Leslie, and son Randy, The U is for family unity.
Now for the horse. Purchased for $275,000 at the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales for 2-year-olds in training, Flight Command already owns the distinction as the first United States winner for Flightline’s first crop.
Can he win again and jump into the superhype of the next rising star in racing? Rudy Rodriguez, who trains the bay colt, certainly hopes so, even though he doesn’t think Flight Command is 100%.
“He’s progressing very nicely,” Rodriguez said. “He’s a very laid back horse who gallops with a lot of energy. I’m just happy and enjoying the ride that the owners gave us the opportunity to have this baby in the barn.”
I think his [first] race did tons of good for him. I don’t think he’s 100% but he’s tight.”
While Flightline won from 6 furlongs to 10 furlongs, Rodriguez believes the son is more of a sprinter.
“To me, Flight Command looks like more of a sprinter type. His father could do everything up to a mile and a quarter,” Rodriguez said. “To me, the type of body our horse has, he looks more like a sprinter. Maybe seven-eighths, but that father could do everything.”
Flight Command didn’t mess around in his debut. He was hustled to the lead by Manny Franco, had control throughout, was asked for a bit more nearing the quarter pole, pulled away easily, and even though the rider lost his crop with a furlong to go, Flight Command continued to lengthen his lead.
Booked, trained by Steve Asmussen, comes into the Saratoga Special with a convincing six-length victory in the 6-furlong Sanford Stakes (G3) on July 4. It was the second straight win for the son of Yaupon and gets the advantage with both wins coming at Saratoga.
Also a front-runner, this could turn into quite a duel with Flight Command if both colts are on their game. Booked will be ridden again by Ricardo Santana, Jr.
“Obviously very happy with his two races up here,” Asmussen said. “I think he benefits from racing. That was his third race in the Sanford. Any 2-year-old that has run three times already, that’s quite a bit of running.”
How’s Al Today, trained by Riley Mott, won in his debut, a 1 ¾-length victory on June 4 at Churchill Downs. He will be ridden by Luis Saez, who likely will keep Munnings colt off the lead and make a run at the leaders.
Twinkle Town was a dominant debut winner on June 27 at Churchill Downs, while Rasasi was a troubled fourth in the Sanford and Uncle Kef returns from a fifth on synthetic in the Victoria Stakes on July 12 at Woodbine.
The Saratoga Special is race 6, with a post time of 3:20 p.m. The $500,000 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) is Saturday’s headliner, with the $225,000 Lake George Stakes (G3) also on the undercard.
1 How's Al Today (Luis Saez, Riley Mott), 6-1
2 Rasasi (Edgard Zayas, Antonio Sano), 15-1
3 Twinkle Town (Jose Ortiz, Kenny McPeek), 7-2
4 Booked (Ricardo Santana, Jr., Steve Asmussen), 7-5
5 Uncle Kef (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Kevin Rice), 12-1
6 Flight Command (Flavien Prat, Rudy Rodriguez), 9-5
After heavy mid-week rain dropped over five inches of water near the track, the 1 1/16-mile Lake George Stakes (G3) could be run over soft ground or even moved to the main track.
With that in mind, it’s tough to handicap before the racing surface is determined, but here goes:
The trainers for Lion Lake (3-1) and Time to Dream (5-1), among the favorites in a field of nine 3-year-old fillies, said a soft ground would not be preferable.
Brendan Walsh, who trains Lion Lake, seeking to win a second graded stakes after coming up short in her last three attempts, told drf.com: “She’s really never run on anything but pretty fast ground, so we wouldn’t want it too soft,” Walsh said.
Todd Pletcher, who trains Time to Dream, 0-for-6 in graded stakes races, told drf.com: “The course was very firm before all this rain, but it was a lot of rain, so I would think it will still have to be off by the race. I don’t know if she really wants soft ground.”
Amberglen, the 5-2 favorite for trainer Brad Cox, comes into the race off a five-length, gate-to-wire win in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race on June 19 at Churchill Downs.
“I’m hopeful she’ll handle the turf, however it’s labeled here Saturday,” Cox said.
Last out, the 4-year-old Curlin filly trained by Michael Trombetta ran into trouble as horses jostled for position, dropped back in the field and finished ninth of 10 in the Belmont Oaks (G1) on July 4 at Saratoga.
She won her first three starts in 2025, ran fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) and was beaten a head by Coach Mazzula in the Hilltop Stakes on May 15 at Laurel Park.
“I'm hoping I can just draw a line through that race [BC Juvenile Fillies Turf] and move on,” Trombetta said.
“This race is going to be hard. These graded races at Saratoga, there's no easy passes there. Her first race off the layoff was really nice, just missed. I just need to get that last one behind me and hopefully get her back on the board.”
If the race moves to the main track, scratches are likely and also-eligibles would move into the field. They are Answered Prayers, listed at 3-1 and Hidden Rose at 7-2.
Deep Learning comes into the race for trainer Chad Brown for her first start since November 2025, when she won the Chelsey Flower Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 6.
Post time for the Lake George, race 9, 5:06 p.m.
1 Honfleur (Jose Ortiz, Chad Brown), 10-1
2 Star Actress (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott), 15-1
3 Candy Moonshine (Jaime Rodriguez, Michael Gorham), 15-1
4 Time to Dream (Edagard Zayas, Todd Pletcher), 5-1
5 Ultimate Love (Ricard Santana, Jr., Michael Trombetta), 10-1
6 Amberglen (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Brad Cox), 5-2
7 Code (Dylan Davis, Todd Pletcher), 15-1
8 Deep Learning (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown), 7-2
9 Lion Lake (Luis Saez, Brendan Walsh), 3-1
Also-eligibles:
10 Answered Prayers (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott), 3-1
11 Hidden Rose (TBD, Miguel Clement), 7-2
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
