While the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets is the headliner of the Saturday, June 8 card at Saratoga Race Course, the Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap commands plenty of attention by itself as the million-dollar secondary feature.

Commonly known as the Met Mile, the race has been contested for more than a century since first run at Morris Park in 1891. Traditionally held on Memorial Day, the race was moved to the Belmont Stakes undercard in 2014. The Met Mile carries a purse of $1 million and the race is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” Series. The winner will receive a spot in the starting gate for the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 2, but possibility always exists that the winner of this race will instead opt for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. The winners of last two runnings of the Met Mile – Flightline in 2022 and Cody’s Wish in 2023 – both went on to win Horse of the Year.

1. Castle Chaos (20-1 morning-line odds): Has yet to win a stakes in his 16-race career so far and this certainly won’t be an easy spot to get it done. On the plus side, two of his career-best races have taken place in his last three outings, including a close nose loss in the Grade 3 Fred Hooper Stakes Presented by Whispering Angel at one mile at Gulfstream Park three races ago and a second by a head last time behind Post Time in the Grade 2 Carter Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets at seven furlongs at Aqueduct. If you like Post Time at 7-2 morning line odds in this spot, you certainly shouldn’t shy away from Castle Chaos here at 20-1.

Jockey: Dylan Davis; Trainer: Robert Falcone Jr.

2. National Treasure (8-5): Two-time Grade 1 winner of the 2023 Preakness Stakes and the 2024 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Baccarat is set to be a premier player in the handicap division this year and can move right to the top of the heap with in Met Mile victory. Perhaps his best race of the last calendar year wasn’t even in one of his wins, but instead came in defeat when he gave Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish all he could handle in the BigAss Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile only to finish second by a nose in one of the most thrilling races of 2023. Has the speed to lead if he wants to, but he could also end up pressing Hoist the Gold or battling it out with that rival up front. He’ll be dangerous either way because this mile distance seems right squarely in his wheelhouse.

Jockey: Flavien Prat; Trainer: Bob Baffert

3. Post Time (7-2): Won back-to-back graded stakes at seven furlongs as a part of a three-race winning streak to begin 2024. Those wins came in Maryland’s Grade 3 General George Stakes back in February and in the Grade 2 Carter Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets at Aqueduct in April (formerly a Grade 1 race until this year). Both were good wins but neither came against the likes of horses like National Treasure, Blazing Sevens, and White Abarrio in Saturday’s field. Exits a disappointing loss in the May 3 Grade 3 Westchester Stakes at this one-mile distance at Belmont at the Big A, and while he does have the look of a serious player this season at the middle distances, he’ll be up against the toughest competition he’s ever faced in the Met Mile.

Jockey: Sheldon Russell; Trainer: Brittany Russell

4. Blazing Sevens (8-1): Blazing Sevens has cobbled together a solid career since winning the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes as a 2-year-old in 2022 but he has been unable to match that early stakes-winning success at ages 3 and into his 4-year-old season. Could this be the race for his re-emergence? Blazing Sevens is perhaps most well-known for this second-place finish by a head in the 2023 Preakness Stakes behind National Treasure, who was allowed to have full control of the pace that day. In the Met Mile, Blazing Sevens should be sitting in a prime stalking position while National Treasure could have his hands full up front with Hoist the Gold providing the pace. If that scenario unfolds on the lead, then it could set the stage for a turning of the tables. Blazing Sevens was sidelined with an injury for the second half of 2023, but he seemed to serve proper notice that he’s back at his best again and ready to roll with his quality mile win last time out versus a salty field at Aqueduct. This field will be tougher, but Blazing Sevens could be up to the task with expected second-off-the-layoff improvement for trainer Chad Brown.

Jockey: Manny Franco; Trainer: Chad Brown

Click image to purchase shirt (_none)

5. Hoist the Gold (15-1): Best known for his win in NYRA’s other signature mile stakes race on the annual calendar, the Grade 2 2023 Cigar Mile Handicap last fall. That occurred when jockey John Velazquez took the initiative and sent Hoist the Gold to the lead, resulting in a wire-to-wire upset at 8.70-1 odds. He also won the Grade 2 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes at six furlongs in what was a breakout season for him in 2023. Unfortunately, this runner has not gained any career momentum since winning the Cigar Mile, and has had three starts since then, all versus Grade 1 or Group 1 competition, which have not resulted in any in-the-money finishes. Owns dangerous speed at this distance as proven in the Cigar Mile, but the presence of National Treasure in the field means that he probably won’t see a lot of daylight alone on the lead in this race.

Jockey: John Velazquez; Trainer: Dallas Stewart

6. White Abarrio (6-5): Made his first start for the barn of trainer Rick Dutrow in this race last year and finished third behind Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish. Notably, he did make up for it in a big way in his next start when he turned the tables on Cody’s Wish to win the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes by 6 ¼ lengths at 1 1/8 miles. He then went on to win the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic to round out a stellar 2023 under Dutrow’s tutelage. Based on last year’s results it is possible at this point in his career that he’s better going longer than he is at a mile. He raced just once since the Breeders’ Cup win, and it was a total flop halfway around the world when he finished 10^th in the $20 million Saudi Cup. Certainly he has the talent and credentials to rebound, and this spot is a realistic place to do it, but if you are betting to win you will have to take low odds on him as the likely post-time favorite in the race.

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.; Trainer: Richard Dutrow Jr.

THE PICK: Blazing Sevens

LIVE LONGSHOT: Blazing Sevens

SUPERFECTA: 4-6-2-5