Trainer Bob Baffert said Preakness (G1) winner National Treasure will ship to New York on Tuesday for next Saturday's $1.25-million Travers (G1) after breezing five furlongs in 1:00.40 Saturday morning over the main track at Del Mar.
“It went well,” said Baffert, who noted the colt breezed without blinkers and will drop the equipment for the Travers. “I was happy with him and everything went as planned. He's doing well and we're looking forward to it.”
To win the Travers, National Treasure will have to topple a field that features all three classics winners for the first time since 2017 with Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Arcangelo set to line up along with the reigning champion 2-year-old male Forte.
“That's what the Travers is supposed to be — it's a major,” Baffert said.
National Treasure, by Quality Road, provided jockey John Velazquez his first Preakness win with a game head score over Blazing Sevens on May 20 at Pimlico Race Course. The $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase was finished a sixth on June 10 in the Belmont Stakes(G1) in his most recent start.
National Treasure, to be ridden by Velazquez, is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan.
National Treasure will be joined on the journey by a pair of contenders for the seven-furlong $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) in Zedan Racing Stables' Arabian Lion [Velazquez], the last-out winner of the seven-furlong Woody Stephens (G1), and last-out Dwyer (G3) winner Fort Bragg [Joel Rosario].
Both of Jerkens contenders breezed five furlongs Friday at Del Mar with Arabian Lion working a bullet :59.20 seconds from the gate and Fort Bragg covering the distance in :59.60.
Los Alamitos Derby winner Reincarnate, who was under consideration for the Travers, was re-routed to the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on September 23 at Parx Racing.
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