Kentucky Derby hero Mage could do no better than third as the gallant frontrunner-up National Treasure repelled the challenge of Blazing Seven in the 148th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.
It was the first win in the middle leg of the Triple Crown for Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and a record eighth for controversial trainer Bob Baffert.
A son of Lanes End Farm’s champion stallion Quality Road, National Treasure answered Velazquez’s every call in a head-bobbing finish to defeat Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) by a head with Mage (Good Magic) two and a quarter length back in third.
“This day was like a rollercoaster,” Baffert said.
“Started out great. Then things went bad. When we lose a horse (Havnameltdown), it’s tough on everybody. We grieve. But then for this horse to come back, to pull us out of that dark area that we were in - that’s why I love those horses. They try so hard. It looked like he wouldn’t let that horse pass him. He fought. He dug in. And Johnny (Velazquez) said he didn’t want to pull up.
“This game, there’s a lot of twists and turns, and you’ve just got to get through it. This is how we’re rewarded. The fans got a great race. Unfortunately, they would have liked to see the Derby winner win, because it helps going for the Triple Crown. I’ve been there. I’ve been there for the disappointments.
“It was a great finish for me. Very emotional. I really couldn’t get into the race - when he hit the wire, that’s when I started enjoying the race. The rest of my day, you just couldn’t enjoy the day. Once he hit the wire, it just brought us back. You have to earn these races. For Johnny to get his first - I was thinking more about Johnny.
“It just means (8th Preakness), I feel like Nick Saban.. I like those five-star recruits. That’s my whole secret.
“We knew he would love the distance. Once I saw the half-mile fraction, there was no excuses. That horse came to him - I thought he was going to go by us. But our horse dug in. It was a great race.
“I was cheering, like, ‘Please make this happen for Johnny.'”
Remarkably, It was the first stakes win for National Treasure. A winner at Del Mar on debut last season at two, National Treasure was runner-up in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
He started his three-year-old campaign with a third in the Grade III Sham Stakes at Santa Anita and was fourth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby.
A $500,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Yearling Sale, National Treasure’s ownership group includes several well-known in Australia, SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.
Bred in Kentucky by Peter Blum Thoroughbreds, National Treasure is the best of three winners from four to race for the Medaglia d’Oro (USA) mare Treasure, a half-sister to the stakes winner Inspired (Unbridled’s Song), Silver State (Unbridled’s Song), Elope (Gone West) and Initiation.
