The Mile That Makes History: The Met Mile as a Turning Point for Champions
- Turf Diario
- Jun 7
- 4 min read
With a Stellar Roster of Recent Winners, the Race Remains One of the Most Influential on the U.S. Calendar, Paving the Way to the Breeders’ Cup and Eclipse Awards
SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).- A demanding blend of speed and stamina, the Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) has long stood as a pivotal test in the campaigns of future stallions. In the past three years alone, Flightline (Tapit), Cody’s Wish (Curlin), and National Treasure (Quality Road) have extended that tradition, using the prestigious mile as a springboard to Eclipse Award honors.
The 132nd edition of the $1-million challenge, run over a flat mile and open to 3-year-olds and up, will once again offer a “Win and You’re In” berth to the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November at Del Mar. The Met Mile’s roll of honor includes a litany of legends: Tom Fool (Menow, 1953), Native Dancer (Polynesian, 1954), Sword Dancer (Sunglow, 1959), Buckpasser (Tom Fool, 1967), Fappiano (Mr. Prospector, 1981), Gulch (Mr. Prospector, 1987–88), Holy Bull(Great Above, 1994), Ghostzapper (Awesome Again, 2005), and Quality Road (Elusive Quality, 2010), to name just a few.
In 2022, Flightline, trained by John Sadler, arrived unbeaten following three dazzling performances in California, including an 11 1/2-length tour de force in the GI Malibu Stakes. The question remained: how would he fare in his first start on the East Coast, making his 4-year-old debut at Belmont Park?
“This race has always made stallions. For me, Flightline is one of the most transcendent Met Mile winners,” said Sadler. “People remember Conquistador Cielo (Mr. Prospector, 1982), but what Flightline did in his first trip east of the Mississippi was spectacular. It was a privilege to have him at Belmont that day.”
Drawn the rail, Flightline broke slightly sluggishly as Speaker’s Corner (Street Sense) shot to the lead. Tracking the pace from the inside through a quick 22.78 and 45.01, the son of Tapit loomed on the far turn and swept to the lead effortlessly, drawing away to win by six lengths in 1:33.59 under Flavien Prat.
“It was the race where he had the most adversity,” Sadler recalled. “I brought him to the gate the day before to school, maybe overdid it... He was so relaxed, just gazing at the sky when they opened. But he was so good, he could overcome anything.”
Flightline stretched out to 10 furlongs to dominate the GI Pacific Classic, then sealed an unbeaten career with a scintillating performance in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, earning titles as Horse of the Year and Champion Older Dirt Male for a powerhouse ownership group that included Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Woodford Racing.
“With him, you didn’t fear the competition—you feared what might go wrong,” Sadler said. “The Met Mile paved the way for the rest of the year. Walking to the paddock that day, Prat told me: ‘Distance will only help him.’”
In 2023, Godolphin unleashed Cody’s Wish, who entered off five straight stakes wins for trainer Bill Mott, still in search of his first Met Mile win after nearly four decades of trying.
A 5-year-old closer by Curlin, the dark bay had already won the GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, the GI Forego, and the GI Churchill Downs S. en route to the Met Mile.
“It’s one of those races on par with the Classics, the Breeders’ Cup, the Travers,” said Michael Banahan, director of bloodstock for Godolphin USA. “If you win the Met Mile, you’re a serious horse. We wanted him to be Horse of the Year if there wasn’t a Triple Crown winner, and to do that, he had to win this race. It was vital.”
Facing the likes of Zandon (Upstart), White Abarrio (Race Day), Dr. Schivel (Violence), and Doppelganger (Into Mischief), Cody’s Wish was last early after breaking from the rail. But with Junior Alvarado, he swung five wide turning for home and charged past rivals to win by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:34.36.
“It was a fantastic moment,” Banahan said. “He beat a top-class field, including White Abarrio. He proved himself a one-turn mile specialist. Junior is a master with outside closers, like he showed this year on Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the Kentucky Derby.”
The emotional bond with namesake Cody Dorman elevated the story further. Cody’s Wish repeated in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and was crowned Horse of the Year and Champion Older Dirt Male in 2023.
In 2024, with Saratoga hosting the race, National Treasure bounced back from a fourth in the $20-million GI Saudi Cup to reclaim top form. The Pegasus World Cup winner made every step count.
Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Flavien Prat, the Quality Road colt went straight to the front and never looked back, cruising by 6 1/4 lengths in 1:35.12 over Blazing Sevens (Curlin), White Abarrio, and Post Time (Frosted), among others.
“It’s a race where sustained speed is crucial. It’s a true mile, and there’s no room for error,” said Tom Ryan of SF Racing, part of a large partnership including Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan.
With his second Grade I of the year, National Treasure was named Champion Older Dirt Male, the third straight year the Met Mile has produced that titleholder.
“The Met Mile and the Breeders’ Cup Classic are cornerstones for breeders and stallion-makers,” Ryan said. “It’s always a top-class test, and he won it with authority. Winning a Grade I at Saratoga is never easy.”
Once again, the Met Mile proves an essential stop for those chasing greatness. And another chapter in its storied legacy is about to be written.
Christian Abdo
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