It looks like National Treasure will be searching for a first-of-its-kind achievement at Saratoga Race Course.
After winning the Metropolitan Handicap (G1), the premier race for older dirt horses during last month's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at the Spa, the classic-winning 4-year-old is eyeing an unprecedented double, targeting the Aug. 3 $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1), the top dirt stakes for older horses at Saratoga's summer meet.
"The plan is to run in the Whitney if he continues to do real well," trainer Bob Baffert said by phone from his California base. "He's a horse that is improving and getting better. He came out of the Met Mile well. He ships well. The Whitney is a very prestigious race and we all want to run in the big races."
Winner of the 2023 Preakness Stakes (G1), National Treasure romped by 6 1/4 lengths in the June 8 Met Mile at the Spa. Ranked No.1 in the NTRA Top 10 poll, he started the year by winning the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 27.
A winner of four of 13 starts, the son of Quality Road has earned $5,372,000 for the ownership group of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.
The Met Mile was a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), a race National Treasure finished second in last year. The Whitney is also a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race, but it carries the Win & You're In free entry to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).
Baffert 3-Year-olds
Baffert said he also intends to send grade 1 winner Prince of Monaco to the Aug. 24 $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds at Saratoga and may also ship a couple of New York-bred 2-year-olds to the Spa.
Prince of Monaco, a son of Speightstown owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Robert Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, and Tom Ryan, was second in the June 8 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
Baffert, a nine-time winner of the Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park, also said he would not have a starter in the July 20 edition of the grade 1 stakes for 3-year-olds.
He said his two prospects for the 1 1/8-mile stakes, Muth and Parenting, could use some more time before their next start.
Zedan Racing Stables' multiple grade 1 winner Muth was the morning-line favorite in this year's Preakness but became ill and missed the race. The son of Good Magic 's last start was a victory in the March 30 Arkansas Derby (G1).
"He's coming back well. Getting sick on the road knocked him out but he's getting back to his old self. Unfortunately the timing is not perfect. He just missed the window for starting in the Haskell. If I had another week or so it might have been different." Baffert said.
Gandharvi's Parenting, a son of Justify , won both of his starts, taking the June 9 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita Park in his most recent race.
"We were aiming for it but I missed an important work because he had a virus and I don't want to rush him into a race like the Haskell. If it was a week later, I could have made it," Baffert said. "The Haskell is good race at a good racetrack and we were looking forward to it, but things happen."
