Monday, May 06, 2002
New company for War Emblem at Preakness
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
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128th KENTUCKY DERBY
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Jockey Victor Espinoza, aboard War Emblem, is triumphant as he wins the 128th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Most of the 17 horses War Emblem beat in the Kentucky Derby are passing up the Preakness Stakes.
It appears only two other Derby horses — runner-up Proud Citizen and fourth-place Medaglia d'Oro — are committed to the second leg of the Triple Crown on May 18.
Harlan's Holiday, the 6-1 Derby favorite who finished seventh, is a possibility.
War Emblem, bought for trainer Bob Baffert three weeks ago by Saudi Prince Ahmed Salman, most likely will be favored in what's shaping up as a full field of 14 3-year-olds going 1 3-16 miles at Pimlico.
“We're planning on going,” trainer D. Wayne Lukas said about Proud Citizen. The Hall of Famer also is sending Table Limit.
Heading to Baltimore is Booklet, a front-runner like War Emblem. Trained by John Ward, Booklet was fourth behind Harlan's Holiday in the Blue Grass Stakes, but beat him to win the Holy Bull and Fountain of Youth.
Also planning to run are several colts who had not earned enough money to make the Derby field — Sunday Break, Crimson Hero, Straight Gin and U S S Tinosa.
In addition, Easyfromthegitgo, Equality, Magic Weisner, Marasca and Stephentown are being be pointed to the Preakness.
Saarland, 10th in the Derby, chipped a bone in the race and was expected to have surgery.
The Preakness may be more to War Emblem's liking because it's one-sixteenth of a mile shorter than the Derby and the tighter turns favor speed horses.
Baffert joked at his Churchill Downs barn Sunday, a drastic change from last year when he awoke depressed the day after. His favored Point Given had finished fifth behind Monarchos.
“I left here with such an empty feeling,” he said. “I was so disappointed.”
War Emblem, a 20-1 shot, put Baffert in the Derby winner's circle for the third time in six years. The colt scored a wire-to-wire, four-length victory Saturday.
When the field turned for home, Baffert had an entirely new outlook.
“I went from, "He looks good to oh, my God, he's going to win the Kentucky Derby,”' Baffert said. “He was kicking in gear.”
Few thought the front-running War Emblem would be able to hold his lead.
“You can talk about pace, but nobody was going to beat that horse,” Baffert said.
Lukas, who has four Derby wins, agreed.
“We thought maybe he'd come back to us, but he didn't,” Lukas said. “Nobody pressured him.”
While overlooked by bettors in the Derby, War Emblem will receive plenty of attention when he arrives at Pimlico. Baffert won't be able to maintain the low profile he enjoyed during Derby week, either.
“We didn't want anybody to really think he was a contender,” he said, smiling. “Now the cat's out of the bag.”
War Emblem's victory meant more money for 84-year-old Russell Reineman.
Salman paid Reineman a reported $1 million for War Emblem, and Reineman retained 10 percent ownership. He'll get a portion of the Derby winner's $875,000 earnings.
“He kept a piece in case he won the Derby,” Baffert said. “He's part of it. I wish he would have been here.”
War Emblem also earned a $1 million bonus from Sportsman's Park for winning a Triple Crown race after taking the Illinois Derby.
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New company for War Emblem at Preakness
