National Treasure Walks On First Morning At Pimlico | 2023 Preakness Stakes News

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s Preakness Stakes (G1) candidate National Treasure arrived at Pimlico Race Course Saturday evening and walked the shedrow in the stakes barn Sunday morning.

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The son of Quality Road is expected to visit the track Monday morning. 

National Treasure and three other Baffert horses headed to stakes on Preakness Weekend were flown from California to Baltimore Saturday. All four worked for Baffert Friday at Santa Anita Park.

Accompanying National Treasure were Michael Lund Peterson’s unbeaten filly Faiza [the headliner in Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan [G2]) as well as Havnameltdown for the Chick Lang (G3) and Arabian Lion for the Sir Barton on Saturday’s Preakness program.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will ride National Treasure in the Preakness.

Velazquez, the leading money-earning jockey in North American racing history, has three wins in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and two on the Belmont Stakes (G1) but is winless in 12 starts in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

He has a record of 0-3-1 in the Preakness. His most recent runner-up finish was on the Baffert-trained Kentucky Derby winner Authentic in 2019.

 Baffert is tied with 19^th century trainer R. Wyndham Walden with a record seven victories. His most recent victory was in 2018 with Triple Crown winner Justify.

National Treasure is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan.

He has one win in five career start but has three graded-stakes placings. In his last race, he was fourth in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).