National Treasure leads field of 12 entered for Saturday's Whitney
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - National Treasure has won two Grade 1 stakes this year to emerge as the leading older dirt male in the country, though those accomplishments didn’t scare anybody away from the entry box for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga.
National Treasure, trained by Bob Baffert, was one of 12 horses entered Sunday for the Whitney, a 1 1/8-mile race that awards its winner a fees-paid berth into the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic to be run Nov. 2 at Del Mar. Last year’s Whitney winner, White Abarrio, also won the Classic.
The last time as many as 12 horses entered the Whitney was in 2007, though only 11 ran in the race. That year, Lawyer Ron ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.64, a stakes and track record for 1 1/8 miles that still stands.
National Treasure is no stranger to big fields, as he beat 11 rivals in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January to kick off his 2024 campaign. After finishing a decent fourth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Senor Buscador in the $20 million Saudi Cup in February, National Treasure didn’t run again until June 8, when he won the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap here by 6 1/4 lengths.
The Whitney, according to his connections, is a natural progression for National Treasure, the 2023 Preakness winner.
“This is a race that fits well on the calendar for him,” said Tom Ryan, managing partner of SF Racing and Bloodstock, part-owner of National Treasure. “He obviously ran very well over that track in Saratoga. It’s a nice opportunity to stretch him a little farther and work out what the year-end scenario might be from this event.”
Last year, National Treasure ended his year in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, falling a nose short to Cody’s Wish.
National Treasure has a solid worktab for the Whitney, including a five-furlong move in 59.40 seconds Sunday morning at Del Mar. It was the third-fastest of 111 works at the distance.
“He’s become an exceptional work horse,” Ryan said. “I’ve seen his last two works personally, they’re somewhat flawless.”
National Treasure, who is set to arrive in New York on Tuesday, drew post 3 and will be ridden by Flavien Prat.
Todd Pletcher, a four-time Whitney winner, entered the trio of Bright Future, Crupi and Charge It in this year’s renewal. Bright Future, who drew post 9, went 2 for 2 here last summer including a victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He is coming off a victory in the Salvator Mile, his seasonal debut, at Monmouth Park.
Crupi, who drew post 7, won the Grade 2 Suburban here in June before finishing a well-beaten second to Next in the Grade 2 Brooklyn at Aqueduct on July 5. Charge It, saddled with post 12, won the Suburban at Belmont in July 2023, but is 0 for 5 since.
Skippylongstocking, who was eased in the Pegasus World Cup, has come back to win the Grade 3 Challenger at Tampa and the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap. Most recently, he finished third behind Kingsbarns in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster. He drew post 10 for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
Arthur’s Ride (post 11), who earned a gaudy 111 Beyer Speed Figure when winning an allowance here by 12 3/4 lengths for Bill Mott; Post Time (post 1), runner-up in the Met Mile; Disarm (post 2), runner-up in last year’s Travers; First Mission (post 5) and Il Miracolo (post 6), the first- and third-place finishers in the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill on May 3; Tumbarumba (post 8), runner-up in three straight stakes including the Hanshin last out, and recent allowance winner Warrior Johny (post 4) complete the field.
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