The Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) was the featured dirt race on Santa Anita’s Memorial Day card, but an earlier maiden captured the imagination.

Just as Flightline streaked light years ahead on the racetrack, so did the unbeaten phenom run away with Horse of the Year honors at Thursday night’s 52nd annual Eclipse Awards gala at The Breakers Palm Beach.

The brightest superstar of the 2022 North American racing scene, Flightline, headlines the list of Eclipse Awards finalists announced on Saturday.

Just as Flightline’s conquest of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) had an air of virtual inevitability about it, so did the announcement of his retirement to stud in the aftermath.

Shipping outside of California for the first time, Flightline lit up Belmont Park with an eye-popping performance in Saturday’s $1 million Metropolitan H.

Sunday’s $301,000 Malibu (G1) was supposed to present Flightline with a class test, but the unbeaten colt was a class apart from the opposition at Santa Anita.

Undefeated Flightline has hinted of freakish talent in his two starts, and the John Sadler pupil hopes to confirm that impression as he takes on Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) near-misser Dr. Schivel in Sunday’s $300,000 Malibu S. (G1).

Grace Adler dominated the Del Mar Debutante (G1), longshot Liam’s Dove broke her maiden in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, and unbeaten sophomore Flightline also grabbed attention on the Sunday card.