National Treasure, classic winner & champion by Quality Road, sires first foal
January 9, 2026
Spendthrift Farm’s National Treasure, the classic winner and champion son of Quality Road, sired his first reported foal on January 8 when a colt was born at Southern Comfort Farm in Lexington.
The bay colt, which was bred by Southern Comfort Farm, LLC, is the second foal out of the 12-time winning Dialed In mare, Melting Snow who delivered a Medaglia d’Oro filly in 2025.
“I couldn’t be happier with the colt,” said Southern Comfort Farm’s Penny Lopez. “The mare goes early yet this is a very nice baby. He’s very correct, well put together, has all the right parts, looks fast and has great energy. The mare’s yearling is exceptional, and I think this colt will be on that trajectory.”
An earner of more than $5.5 million on the track, National Treasure retired to Spendthrift as the highest earner from his crop in North America, and fresh off a campaign that saw him capture Eclipse Award honors as the Champion Older Dirt Male of 2024. He began that year with a victory in the Pegasus Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream, before going on to capture the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Saratoga by 6 ¼ lengths—the largest winning margin in that storied race since 2017.
A $500,000 yearling at Fasig-Tipton’s prestigious Saratoga Select Sale, National Treasure was a classic winner at 3 after a thrilling win in the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico. He finished his sophomore campaign with a narrow nose defeat to Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Santa Anita. As a 2-year-old, he placed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland behind multiple Grade 1 winners Forte and Cave Rock.
National Treasure was one of the most popular stallions in North America in 2025, covering 202 mares in a debut book that boasted a 1.99 CI & 2.99 CPI—both the highest indices among all first-season stallions to represent the highest quality book of producers & racemares bred. He was also the No. 1 Freshman Covering Sire in North America with a $166,388 average from his first in-foal mares sold in 2025.
This year, National Treasure will stand his second season at Spendthrift for a fee of $35,000 S&N. For more information about National Treasure, please contact Des, Mark, Brian or Daniel at 859-294-0030.