With an authoritative victory in a historic edition of the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) June 8 at Saratoga Race Course, National Treasure moved to the front of the class of the handicap division and gave his large group of partners something to celebrate.
And as several of those owners have homes in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., the victory figures to be celebrated late into the night Saturday.
“It’s special,” said one of those co-owners with a Saratoga Springs residence, Jack Wolf of Starlight Racing, who watched his royal blue and yellow silks on winning jockey Flavien Prat carried to victory Saturday. “I’m too proud.”
A classic winner in 2023, National Treasure appears to have taken a step forward as the son of Quality Road opened his 4-year-old season with a narrow victory in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), finished fourth in the Saudi Cup (G1), and then registered a knockout performance Saturday in his racing return to the United States.
With the Met Mile temporarily moved from its traditional home of Belmont Park, which is being rebuilt, Saturday’s field broke from Saratoga’s Wilson Chute that feeds into the first turn. National Treasure broke well and seized the lead while pressed by two-time grade 2 winner Hoist the Gold through a quarter-mile in :23.52 and a half-mile in :45.75.
Coming out of the far turn National Treasure, the 6-5 favorite, flashed a gear that none of his rivals could match, opening up a five-length lead in a flash. He cruised to the wire for a 6 1/4-length score, completing the mile in 1:35.12.
“Once I got down the backside it felt like I was going to be able to get away from (Hoist the Gold),” Prat said. “Then after that, when I tightened my rein, he just went on.
“He has always shown talent. One thing about him is he always shows up and runs his race. It was a great run today.”
National Treasure and rider Flavien Prat (yellow cap) lead the field into the stretch of the Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga Race Course
The decisive victory marked the second Met Mile win for trainer Bob Baffert, who also captured the race in 2017 with Mor Spirit . It marked National Treasure’s first start since finishing fourth in the Saudi Cup (G1) in late February.
“He’s a good horse and in his last couple of works, he tipped me off that ‘Hey, I’m back.’ I’m proud of the horse,” said Baffert by phone, as he did not make the trip to the Spa. “When he shows up, he’s super. I’m proud of him and my team.”
The race was expected to be a showdown between last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner White Abarrio and National Treasure, who closed 2023 with a close runner-up finish to eventual Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). But that showdown did not materialize as White Abarrio chased four or five wide throughout and weakened late to finish fifth.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard White Abarrio, said he felt great but when asked to pick it up he didn’t fire.
Hillwood Stable’s Carter Stakes (G2) winner Post Time secured his first grade 1 placing by surging past a pair of rivals in the stretch to finish second, just edging third-place Hoist the Gold, who is campaigned by Dream Team One Racing Stable.
“That was awesome,” trainer Brittany Russell said of Post Time’s runner-up finish. “We are over the moon. I’m so excited.”
National Treasure co-owner Sol Kumin of Madaket Stables said as good as National Treasure was last spring in winning the Preakness Stakes (G1), he believes the classic winner has taken things to another level this year. He thinks that improvement began to show itself in the Dirt Mile.
“That performance in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile to lose by a nose was outstanding,” said Kumin after landing his first Met Mile win. “Then obviously to come back and win the Pegasus then run well overseas. To just have him come back on a big day with a big crowd and win pretty convincingly. I think a mile is his jam.”
The setting also brought a big smile to Kumin, who also has a Saratoga Springs residence.
“This is my favorite place and to have it here,” Kumin said, “it’s awesome.”
The co-owners of National Treasure celebrate after the Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga Race Course
As the Met Mile is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win & You’re In race to the Dirt Mile, National Treasure has earned a fees-paid entry back to the the 2024 edition of that race.
Besides Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, other partners in on National Treasure include SF Racing, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.
Bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, National Treasure is out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Treasure, who has produced four winners including grade 1-placed winner Pirate .
SF, Starlight, and Madaket, with agent Donato Lanni, went to $500,000 to purchase National Treasure at the 2021 The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton’s select yearling sale, from the consignment of Birdie Harrison, agent.
The winner’s circle after National Treasure’s victory in the Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga Race Course
Other 2024 graded stakes winners this year for Quality Road, who stands for $200,000 at Lane’s End near Versailles, Ky., include Track Phantom , Heroic Move , and Missed the Cut .
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