'We had some tough moments' - Bob Baffert-trained National Treasure thwarts Mage's Triple Crown bid in Preakness

Kentucky Derby hero Mage failed to add the second part of the Triple Crown as National Treasure landed the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico for trainer Bob Baffert.

Mage, the 7-5 favourite, had to settle for third behind National Treasure, who got the better of Blazing Sevens by a head to reward Baffert on his return to the Triple Crown stage after a two-year suspension.

There were mixed emotions for Baffert on Saturday, however, as he lost promising three-year-old Havnameltdown to a fatal injury in the Chick Lang Stakes earlier on the card.

Ridden by John Velazquez, National Treasure handed trainer Baffert a record eighth win in the Preakness, and he said: “I couldn't have done it without my beautiful wife Jill's support and my family and friends.

“We've been through a tough go. Like I've said, it's the love of the horse that keeps me focused and keeps me going, and I just kept the noise out.

"We had some tough moments, but it's days like this that [are] not really vindication. We have a moment where we can enjoy what we do. We get rewarded for how hard everybody in my team works. To me, that's mainly what this is about."

It was a first success in the Preakness for Velazquez, who said: “What a moment. All I can say is, when you try to ride your best and the horse responds to everything you want him to do, that's all it takes; the horse giving you everything they can. 

"That's what you hope for and that's what he did."

The fatality came two weeks after the Kentucky Derby was overshadowed by the deaths of seven horses at Churchill Downs in ten days.

Baffert, responsible for the last two Triple Crown winners in Justify (2018) and American Pharoah (2015), was banned from Churchill Downs for two years after Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone, a corticosteroid, and was stripped of his 2021 Kentucky Derby win.

The final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, takes place at Belmont Park on June 10.

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