National Treasure winning the Met Mile (Angelo Lieto / Coglianese Photo)
Flightline, Cody’s Wish, National Treasure
By Christian Abdo
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap, a test of speed and stamina at the Grade 1 level, has long been a cornerstone on a young stallion’s resume. The past three winners have continued that reputation, and for Flightline, Cody’s Wish and National Treasure, the race was also a stepping stone to Eclipse Award honors.
The 132nd running of the one-mile, $1 million test for 3-year-olds and upward offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November at Del Mar. Some of the notable stallions to win the Met Mile include Tom Fool [1953], Native Dancer [1954], Sword Dancer [1959], Buckpasser [1967], Fappiano [1981], Gulch [1987-88], Holy Bull [1994], Ghostzapper [2005] and Quality Road [2010].
Flightline, trained by John Sadler, entered the 2022 Met Mile an undefeated 3-for-3 with a last-out 11 1/2-length win in the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita Park. His trio of wins came in California as a sophomore, and it was a question of whether his form would hold following the ship to Belmont Park for his 4-year-old debut.
“It has always been a stallion-making race. He’s one of the most consequential Met Mile-winners of all-time in my mind,” said Sadler. “Everyone goes back to Conquistador Cielo [1982], but Flightline was very nice in his first time going across the Mississippi. It was nice for Belmont Day to see a horse like that.”
Piloted by Flavien Prat, the Tapit bay broke a half-step slow from the inside post as Grade 1 Carter-winner Speaker’s Corner took command. Flightline briefly steadied to the inside of that rival through the opening quarter-mile in 22.78 seconds and half-mile in 45.01 on the fast dirt, before tipping out to seize the lead effortlessly in the turn for a definitive six-length victory in a final time of 1:33.59.
“He had the most trouble he ever had in that race,” said Sadler. “I took him up to the gate the day before and schooled him. Maybe I overschooled him, he was very relaxed and looking up at the sky when the gate sprung, but he was so good that he could overcome things.”
Flightline stretched out to 1 1/4 miles to dominate the Grade 1 Pacific Classic and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, en route to being named 2022 Horse of the Year and Champion Older Dirt Male in his campaign for Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing.
“With him, there was never a horse that was going to beat him. You worried about all the other stuff,” Sadler said. “The interesting thing is the Met Mile helped give me the road map for the rest of the year. Walking to the jocks’ room, Prat said distance is going to be his friend.”
Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Cody’s Wish rode a five stakes win streak into the 2023 edition for Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who was winless in the event after starting his first horse in it 38 years earlier.
The 5-year-old Curlin bay was a proven late runner, winning the 2022 Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, that year’s Grade 1 Forego, and the Grade 1 Churchill Downs one month before the Met Mile.
“There’s some races that you want to win on the U.S. calendar– the Classics, Breeders’ Cup, Travers– and the Met Mile is right there with them,” said Michael Banahan, Godolphin USA’s director of bloodstock. “If you win the Met Mile, you are a very special horse. We were hoping that if there was no Triple Crown-winner, we could pull off a Horse of the Year. He had to win this exceptional race to be considered at that elite level. It was a vital race to win on his resume.”
The Met Mile tested Cody’s Wish against Grade 1-winners Zandon, White Abarrio, Dr. Schivel and Doppelganger, among a talented nine-horse field. Cody’s Wish broke inward from the rail and traveled far back in eighth early, but with a sweeping five-wide move in the turn under Junior Alvarado, he rallied to a 3 1/4-length victory in a final time of 1:34.36.
“It was a wonderful occasion, he beat a stellar field including White Abarrio, it was a phenomenal performance,” said Banahan. “He made his mark as a specialist one-turn mile type of horse. Junior does very well with horses coming from off-the-pace with a wide run. He did it with two of our best horses in recent years, it was very special to see again with Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby.”
Cody’s Wish, who defended his title in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and captured the hearts of the nation through his bond with namesake Cody Dorman, was named 2023 Horse of the Year and Champion Older Dirt Male.
In last year’s running at the Spa, National Treasure returned from a fourth in the nine-furlong Group 1, $20 million Saudi Cup in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. The 2023 Preakness-winning Quality Road bay looked to regain the form that saw him win the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup in his 4-year-old debut at Gulfstream Park.
Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert and ridden by Prat, National Treasure led the Met Mile from gate-to-wire for an impressive 6 1/4-length victory in a final time of 1:35.12. He topped Grade 1-winner Blazing Sevens, the head runner-up from his Preakness, Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic-winner White Abarrio, and the classy Post Time, among the six-horse group.
“It is a race that requires speed that carries. It is a truly run mile. You need a fast horse to win it. He took it to them right out of the gate and pulled away,” said Tom Ryan, of SF Racing, co-owner with Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan.
Having earned his second top-level win of the year, National Treasure received Champion Older Dirt Male honors– the third consecutive winner of the Met Mile to claim that title.
“The Met Mile and Breeders’ Cup Classic are two races held in such high regard by breeders and stallion owners alike,” said Ryan. “It’s always a high caliber race and he won it in style. There’s no question that was a defining race for the horse. To win a Grade 1 at Saratoga is a very difficult feat.”
The Met Mile, with its continued excellence, remains a proving ground for greatness, and the stage is set.
