National Treasure has foot trouble, is out of BC Dirt Mile

National Treasure, who was the 4-1 international betting favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, has foot trouble and will not race next Saturday at Del Mar, trainer Bob Baffert confirmed in a text message Friday afternoon.

“We need more time,” Baffert told Daily Racing Form’s David Grening earlier Friday. “We’re not going to enter him.”

Idiomatic is retired with lame knee and is out of BC Distaff.

Baffert told DRF the 4-year-old Quality Road colt developed foot trouble after he finished second Sept. 28 in the Grade 1, $1,000,500 California Crown at Santa Anita. He also said no decision had been made on whether to continue racing National Treasure or retire him to stud at his future breeding home at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky.

Owned by a large partnership led by SF Racing, National Treasure last raced Sept. 28, finishing second by a head to Subsanador in the Grade 1, $1,000,500 California Crown at Santa Anita. Since his last victory in the Met Mile (G1) on June 8, he also finished sixth in the Whitney (G1) on Aug. 3. Both those races were at Saratoga

Before the Met Mile, National Treasure also had Grade 1 wins in the 2023 Preakness and the 2024 Pegasus World Cup Invitational.

Ridden most of his early career by Hall of Famer John Velázquez, National Treasure was paired with jockey Flavien Prat for his six most recent starts beginning with his close second-place finish to Cody’s Wish in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

With a 15: 4-3-2 record, National Treasure has earned $5,578,000. He was bought for $500,000 at a 2021 Fasig-Tipton yearling sale.

Prince of Monaco, also a Grade 1 winner for the SF Racing partnership and Baffert, was retired with minor bone bruising, according to a Claiborne Farm news release Friday.