National Treasure (Quality Road) turned in his first work since winning the May 20 GI Preakness S., going four furlongs in :50.62 (9/15) at Belmont Park Tuesday as he continues preparations for the June 10 GI Belmont S.
With jockey John Velazquez up for trainer Bob Baffert, National Treasure was caught by New York Racing Association clockers in a swift opening split of :23 2/5. Velazquez had the colt under a hold down the lane before letting the talented bay gallop out strongly.
Tom Ryan, managing partner of co-owner SF Racing, was on hand to watch the breeze and said Velazquez was pleased with the work. “He said he was getting over the track very well, which is most important,” Ryan said. “He said that it’s good to get a horse acclimated to the track.”
On the board in five of six starts to date, National Treasure was second in the GI American Pharoah S. and third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year. His six starts have come at four different racetracks, providing him with a solid education, according to Ryan. “He went from Del Mar to Santa Anita to Keeneland and back,” Ryan said. “He got that early education we wanted him to get of getting on the plane and going to Kentucky with a big crowd. He’s experienced that now on a number of days on Breeders’ Cup to Preakness to this.”
National Treasure was purchased by the stallion-making partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables for $500,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale and his ownership line also includes Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. Asked what a Belmont win would mean for National Treasure’s future value as a stallion, Ryan said, “I think it’s very important. A race like the Belmont is very important when pairing it with a race like the Preakness. I think a standalone Belmont definitely has value on a resume, but when you put two Classics on your resume, it’s pretty hard to top isn’t it?”