The Significance of National Treasure’s Victory at the 2023 Preakness Stakes

National Treasure Claims Victory in Preakness Stakes 2023

The 148th running of the Preakness Stakes horse race took place on Saturday, 20th May 2023, at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. National Treasure, ridden by jockey John Velazquez, emerged victorious, placing Horse racing hall of famer trainer, Bob Baffert, in the history books as the winningest trainer in Preakness Stakes history. Baffert’s National Treasure placed first, followed by Blazing Sevens with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., with the prerace favourite and Kentucky Derby winner Mage, ridden by Joel Rosario, coming in third in the seven-horse field.

Missed Opportunity for a Triple Crown

Despite the satisfaction of Baffert, the win marked a missed opportunity for National Treasure to clinch the coveted Triple Crown of victories in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes in one year. The win is still a significant achievement since no other trainer has nine horses win at the Preakness Stakes as Baffert has. National Treasure entered the race with odds of 3-1 and dug deep to secure the win for the veteran jockey John Velazquez, who tallied his first win at the Preakness Stakes.

Baffert’s Emotional Return

The win has marked a triumphant return for Baffert, a two-time Triple Crown winner, who had been suspended from Churchill Downs and last year’s Preakness Stakes for his horse, Medina Spirits, testing positive for elevated levels of betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory medication. However, his triumph was dampened by the euthanization of his horse Havnameltdown earlier on the raceday. An emotional Baffert revealed his distressed state in a post-race interview, saying, “I’m sorry, but it’s been a very emotional day.” He referred to the loss of his horse as humiliating and described himself as being “totally wiped out after that horse got hurt”.

Concerns about Horse Safety

Horse racing has come under scrutiny recently due to concerns regarding horse safety. In the lead up to the Kentucky Derby, seven horses died at Churchill Downs, and an eighth sadly lost its life the previous Sunday. One trainer, Saffie Joseph Jr., was sanctioned due to the “highly unusual” deaths of two of his horses, and Churchill Downs has stated its intention to work with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to investigate each death carefully.

A Final Thought

While National Treasure’s win at the Preakness Stakes was a significant accomplishment for trainer, Bob Baffert, and jockey, John Velazquez, the loss of horse lives in the sport is a critical concern that requires urgent attention. Perhaps it is time for regulators to review the sport’s safety protocols and introduce measures that prioritize the safety of horses. Until then, horse racing risks losing its emotional connection with the public due to its painful operations issues.