Even though they are coming off losses, White Abarrio and National Treasure are expected to attract most of the betting dollars Saturday
for the Grade 1, $1 million Metropolitan Handicap at Saratoga.
White Abarrio, a 5-year-old Race Day horse trained by Rick Dutrow, drew the outside post 6 during Monday’s draw at Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and was made the 6-5 morning-line favorite. National Treasure got post 2 and got program odds of 8-5.
Click here for Saratoga entries and results.
Five of the six horses entered in the field for Met Mile
were last-out losers. White Abarrio, who won last year’s Whitney (G1) at Saratoga
and Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, and National Treasure, who won the
2023 Preakness and 2024 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) for trainer Bob Baffert, finished off the
board Feb. 24 in the Saudi Cup (G1). Neither has raced since.
“He came back from Saudi in good order and had a really good breeze pattern,” said Starlight Racing’s Jack Wolf, one of the owners of National Treasure. “Went out to the barn today and saw him eating and feeling really good.”
Hoist the Gold was fifth last out in the Churchill Downs
(G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Post Time finished second in the
Westchester (G3), and Castle Chaos was second in the Carter (G2).
Blazing Sevens, a 4-year-old Good Magic colt trained by Chad Brown, is the only last-out winner in the field,
finishing first in a one-mile allowance race at Aqueduct on April 20. It was his first victory since the Champagne (G1) over the same course Oct. 1.
“His best race was probably in the Champagne at a mile, so I think it’s a good distance,” Brown said.
The Met Mile will be run out of the Wilton chute at
Saratoga, making it a 1 1/2-turn race.
“Obviously in the chute, it can be a little bit of a tricky run,” Brown said. “It’s a very unique mile, but I like where (Blazing Sevens) is drawn. I just didn’t want to see him down all the way on the inside, but other than that, I think he should at least have a good look.”
The Met Mile is scheduled for Saturday at 4:52
p.m. EDT.
| Post | Silks | Horse / Sire | Rating | Trainer / Jockey | Last Start / Next Start | ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Castle Chaos Palace Malice |
4.59 | 20-1 | ||
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| 2 |
|
National Treasure Quality Road |
7.36 | 8-5 | ||
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| 3 |
|
Post Time Frosted |
6.20 | 7-2 | ||
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| 4 |
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Blazing Sevens Good Magic |
6.56 | 8-1 | ||
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| 5 |
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Hoist the Gold Mineshaft |
6.57 | 15-1 | ||
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| 6 |
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White Abarrio Race Day |
7.89 | 6-5 | ||
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