Struck by genetic-gods the 2022 Eclipse Horse of the Year and Champion Older Dirt Male 2022 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Flightline (Tapit) profile places amongst 11x’s Blenheim (**Blandford).
Flightline’s physical and mental traits are described as tremendous bone and hip with intelligent eye and presence. A stud fee USD$150k, his progeny are commanding attention – top priced colt (below) out of a More Than Ready mare, Selflessly. ref> https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/286173/flightlines-first-yearlings-on-display-at-f-t-saratoga.
What prospective buyers seek are signs of the traits that Flightline demonstrated effortlessly on the track: a strong blend of speed and stamina. ref, https://www.americasbestracing.net/lifestyle/2025-flightlines-first-fleet-yearlings-sensational-horse-the-year-enter-the-market
**Flightline took 11x’s Blenheim (Blandford). https://www.thoroughbredracing.com/articles/3217/unfashionable-unsound-and-lacking-virility-yet-young-stallion-became-sensation-stud/ (+) Simple, Complex & Remarkable- continues to the Blandford line
Of Blandford deep veins implies a noteworthy connection to the multiple G1 winner at three years old, Journalism; his exceptional quality is indicative of inherent capability, which translates into his spectacular performance data.
https://www.pedigreequery.com/journalism6
3×5 Deputy Minister > 4×3 Bounty Lawless (f.f. 23-b) ➡️2 haplotype branches @ either I2a, M1a.
Deep Profile
Journalism’s distaff/9th dam Silver Blue is by the Blandford son Blue Skies (FR). Raja Baba carries 3x Blandford – Blenheim, Umidwar, Badruddin (Blandford sons) to 16x Nasrullah (Mahmoud by Blenheim). There is also via In Excess / Uncle Mo >>4x Blandford (Blenheim, Bahram, Udapair) akin also to @ Flightline > Indian Charlie/In Excess. His sire Curlin, carries 6x Blandford through Blenheim & Windsor Lad.
Flightline’s 7th dam is by Whirlaway from Blenheim.
Blandford, female family 3 distinguishes Herod’s branch of the Byerley Turk seemed to have a remarkable affinity for mares from the L2b1a haplotype, https://www.truenicks.com/articles/241170/galopin-new-research-and-an-answer-to-an-old-question
🔍 Qualitative Impact
- Traits associated with Blandford’s lines:
- Strong hip + gaskin development (biomechanically linked to stride efficiency)
- Late maturity but extended career longevity
- Consistent transmission of sireline traits via sons
Approximate coefficient of ancestry from Blandford: ~2–3% based on pathway clustering, low enough to avoid load, high enough to preserve influence
Bedouin saying…A ‘Living’ Sire Line & the skeleton travels.
