Betting With, and Against, National Treasure in the California Crown Stakes

A standout field of six, with the expected scratch of #7 Indispensable, will vie in the inaugural $1 million California Crown (G1) at Santa Anita on Saturday. The nine-furlong tilt on the dirt will reward the winner of the contest with an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 2. 

National Treasure – With

• $24 exacta 3 with 1 ($24)
• $4 trifecta 3 with 1,5 with 1,2,5,6 ($24)

National Treasure – Against

• $12 win and place #1 Newgate ($24)
• $1 trifecta 1,5 with 1,2,3,5,6 with 1,2,3,5,6 ($24)

#3 National Treasure (8-5) is the morning-line choice for the event for conditioner Bob Baffert. The Quality Road four-year-old has annexed the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Met Mile (G1) this campaign, but also shows unplaced results in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1), and most recently, the Whitney S. (G1) at Saratoga. He has been a bit of a puzzle throughout his career due to his brilliance and his inconsistency, but there is no doubting that he can be electric on his best day. The bay smoked a bullet four panels in advance of Saturday and will be formidable with his top effort under Flavien Prat. 

Baffert’s #1 Newgate (6-1) has intrigue to me in the stacked field from the rail. By Into Mischief, the four-year-old colt was a non-factor late in the Dubai World Cup (G1) in his latest appearance, but he has trained well leading up to Saturday, and the Kentucky-bred dons a fine 5-2-3-0 mark on the strip as well. He bagged the Santa Anita H. (G1) on the course going 1 1/4 miles in March, and I think that he is flying under the radar with John Velazquez in the silks. 

Standout sophomore #5 Muth (2-1) will face his elders for the initial time for Baffert and wouldn’t be a surprise in the contest. The $2 million son of Good Magic has been first or second in each of his seven lifetime performances to date, and the colt is 1-for-1 at the distance following his convincing score in the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park in the spring. The bay will be forcing the action early with Juan Hernandez riding. 

Santa Anita H. (G1) runner-up #2 Subsansador (5-1), who was a visually impressive winner of the Philip Iselin S. (G3) at Monmouth most recently, as well as #6 Senor Buscador (6-1), who roared home late to capture the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1), are both very talented runners who could beat anyone on their best day. 

#4 Katonah (15-1), the remaining horse in the field, is certainly trending upwards for trainer Doug O’Neill, but I will omit him in this ambitious spot.