A 2023 Preakness rematch looks to be in the offing as National Treasure and Blazing Sevens are both expected to run in the Grade 1, $1 million Metropolitan Handicap on June 8. National Treasure won the Pegasus World Cup and finished fourth in the Saudi Cup. Trainer Bob Baffert said he was very happy with the colt’s six-furlong workout in 1:11 at Santa Anita last week. “It was a good move, a good enough move if he comes back and breezes well this weekend he gets on the plane Sunday,” Baffert said. National Treasure beat Blazing Sevens by a head in last year’s Preakness. Blazing Sevens, trained by Chad Brown, came off a nine-month layoff to win a second-level allowance on April 20. Among the other horses expected to run are Hoist the Gold, the 2023 Cigar Mile winner; Post Time, this year’s Grade 2 Carter winner; and White Abarrio, the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner. Among the more intriguing nominees is the 4-year-old filly Sweet Azteca, winner of the Grade 1 Beholder Mile. Trainer Michael McCarthy, noting there are not many opportunities for Sweet Azteca in Southern California, noted “everything is up in the air.” :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. Other possibilities are Tumbarumba and Castle Chaos, the one-two finishers from the Grade 3 Fred Hooper. Bendoog will try Suburban Bendoog, who won two allowance races in three weeks at Aqueduct, is being pointed to the Grade 2, $350,000 Suburban Stakes at Saratoga on June 8, trainer Bill Mott said Sunday. Bendoog, a son of Gun Runner, won a first-level allowance race going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct on April 6, then took a second-level allowance going 1 1/8 miles here by four lengths on April 28, earning a 99 Beyer Speed Figure. “I thought he had to work to get up going a mile and he looked like he did the other distance pretty much in hand,” Mott said. On Sunday, at Belmont, Mott worked Bendoog over the training track. Bendoog was credited with a half-mile time of 49.62 seconds though Mott said it was a five-furlong work in 1:03.80. He went in company with the 3-year-old Billal, who will run in either the Grade 1 Woody Stephens or an allowance race. “It was a really nice breeze, it wasn’t overly fast. It was nice and smooth, the gallop-out was good, they were strong finishers,” Mott said. “They just went off a little slow.” :: Get the Inside Track with the FREE DRF Morning Line Email Newsletter. Subscribe now.  Bendoog began his career in Dubai with trainer Bhupat Seemar. In 2023, he finished second in the first two legs Al Maktoum Challenge before finishing sixth behind Ushba Tesoro in the Dubai World Cup. ◗ Mott has Casa Creed on schedule for a start in the Grade 3, $350,000 Poker going a mile on June 8. On Monday at Saratoga, Casa Creed worked a sharp half-mile in 47.79 seconds over the Oklahoma training track with the maiden Time Out. “He was very, very, very very, very good,” Mott said. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.