Horse Racing: War Emblem runs for history
No one thought he could win the Kentucky Derby. He did. No one thought he would win the Preakness. He did. Now the question is -- can War Emblem win the Triple Crown? He'll give it a try on Saturday in the Belmont Stakes.
War Emblem makes a run at history this Saturday, June 8, 2002, when he runs in the Belmont Stakes and tries to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win horse racing's Triple Crown.
On the first Saturday in May, he won the Kentucky Derby. No one thought he could win it, but he not only won it, he dominated it, leading the race from start to finish.
Two weeks after that he ran in the Preakness. While he went off as the favorite, people still had their doubts. Again he proved the naysayers wrong. He won the race by running hard from start to finish, and was not even threatened, even though Magic Weisner was closing fast at the wire.
Those two races showed he had the talent to win. Now in the Belmont, with it's 1-1/2 mile of running torture for these three-year old horses, War Emblem will also need a little luck. Don't count him out this time -- he's proven himself by now.
His competition will be stiff.
At the top of the list is Proud Citizen who finished second in the Derby and third in the Preakness. He has shown he can keep pace with War Emblem, and if he stays true to form, and if War Emblem slows with the added distance, Proud Citizen could be there to take the race.
Another challenger is Medaglai d'Oro who finished fourth in the Derby and eighth in the Preakness. This horse was one of the favorites at the Derby and Preakness, but did not show his true form. If the "real" Medaglai d'Oro shows up, you never know what he might be able to do.
Perfect Drift finished third in the Derby and then took the Preakness off. The rest might have done him good and he could be ready to make his mark at the Belmont.
A horse everyone will be watching is Sunday Break, who had a tough break at the Derby. As a two-year old, he never won a race. He did win his first one this January and was just coming into form this spring, but was not allowed to run in the Derby because he did not have enough graded-stakes earnings. So he did not run in the Derby or the Preakness, but used last week's Peter Pan Stakes as a tune-up for the Belmont. It was a good "tune-up" too -- he won. Watch for him to give War Emblem a run for his money.
The Preakness runner up, Magic Weisner, who might have caught War Emblem at the Preakness if it had been just a little longer, is also entered in Saturday's Belmont. Now we'll find out if his Preakness run was a fluke, or, with the added distance, if he can catch War Emblem.
One other horse to keep an eye on is Essence of Dubai, owned by Godolphin Racing, Inc. He ran ninth at the Derby, but wasn't true to his form. He could be a sleeper.
Rounding out the field is Artax Too, Like a Hero, Wiseman's Ferry, and Sarava. (Another horse, Puzzlement, was scratched due to a foot injury.) All are long shots, but as in anything, this could be there day.
War Emblem will make his run for history around 6:00 p.m. Saturday, when he breaks out of the No. 10 post and heads down the track at Belmont.
He wasn't favored to win the first two races of the Triple Crown, but he probably will be the favorite for the Belmont.
Favorite or not by the bookies, he is sure to be the favorite for horse racing fans around the country.
See you at the races.
Belmont Stakes Entries
Post/Horse Owner Jockey Trainer
1. Artax Too Paraneck Stable Jose Santos Jennifer Leigh-Pedersen
2. Like A Hero Columbine Stable Pat Day C. Beau Greely
3. Wiseman's Ferry Morton Fink, Lee Sacks and Swifty Farm Jorge Chavez Niall O'Callaghan
4. Essence of Dubai Godolphin Racing Inc. Jerry Bailey Saeed bin Suroor
5. Sunday Break Koji Maeda (Jpn) Gary Stevens Neil Drysdale
6. Perfect Drift Stonecrest Farm Eddie Delahoussaye Murray Johnson
7. Puzzlement Scratched Joseph V. Shields Jr. Jean-Luc Samyn H. Allen Jerkens
8. Medaglia d'Oro Edmund A. Gann Kent Desormeaux Robert Frankel
9. Proud Citizen Robert Baker Mike Smith D. Wayne Lukas
10. War Emblem The Thoroughbred Corporation/Ahmed bin Salman Victor Expinoza Bob Baffert
11. Magic Weisner Nancy H. Alberts Richard Migliore Nancy H. Alberts
12. Sarava New Phoenix Stable Edgar Prado ken McPeek
On the first Saturday in May, he won the Kentucky Derby. No one thought he could win it, but he not only won it, he dominated it, leading the race from start to finish.
Two weeks after that he ran in the Preakness. While he went off as the favorite, people still had their doubts. Again he proved the naysayers wrong. He won the race by running hard from start to finish, and was not even threatened, even though Magic Weisner was closing fast at the wire.
Those two races showed he had the talent to win. Now in the Belmont, with it's 1-1/2 mile of running torture for these three-year old horses, War Emblem will also need a little luck. Don't count him out this time -- he's proven himself by now.
His competition will be stiff.
At the top of the list is Proud Citizen who finished second in the Derby and third in the Preakness. He has shown he can keep pace with War Emblem, and if he stays true to form, and if War Emblem slows with the added distance, Proud Citizen could be there to take the race.
Another challenger is Medaglai d'Oro who finished fourth in the Derby and eighth in the Preakness. This horse was one of the favorites at the Derby and Preakness, but did not show his true form. If the "real" Medaglai d'Oro shows up, you never know what he might be able to do.
Perfect Drift finished third in the Derby and then took the Preakness off. The rest might have done him good and he could be ready to make his mark at the Belmont.
A horse everyone will be watching is Sunday Break, who had a tough break at the Derby. As a two-year old, he never won a race. He did win his first one this January and was just coming into form this spring, but was not allowed to run in the Derby because he did not have enough graded-stakes earnings. So he did not run in the Derby or the Preakness, but used last week's Peter Pan Stakes as a tune-up for the Belmont. It was a good "tune-up" too -- he won. Watch for him to give War Emblem a run for his money.
The Preakness runner up, Magic Weisner, who might have caught War Emblem at the Preakness if it had been just a little longer, is also entered in Saturday's Belmont. Now we'll find out if his Preakness run was a fluke, or, with the added distance, if he can catch War Emblem.
One other horse to keep an eye on is Essence of Dubai, owned by Godolphin Racing, Inc. He ran ninth at the Derby, but wasn't true to his form. He could be a sleeper.
Rounding out the field is Artax Too, Like a Hero, Wiseman's Ferry, and Sarava. (Another horse, Puzzlement, was scratched due to a foot injury.) All are long shots, but as in anything, this could be there day.
War Emblem will make his run for history around 6:00 p.m. Saturday, when he breaks out of the No. 10 post and heads down the track at Belmont.
He wasn't favored to win the first two races of the Triple Crown, but he probably will be the favorite for the Belmont.
Favorite or not by the bookies, he is sure to be the favorite for horse racing fans around the country.
See you at the races.
Belmont Stakes Entries
Post/Horse Owner Jockey Trainer
1. Artax Too Paraneck Stable Jose Santos Jennifer Leigh-Pedersen
2. Like A Hero Columbine Stable Pat Day C. Beau Greely
3. Wiseman's Ferry Morton Fink, Lee Sacks and Swifty Farm Jorge Chavez Niall O'Callaghan
4. Essence of Dubai Godolphin Racing Inc. Jerry Bailey Saeed bin Suroor
5. Sunday Break Koji Maeda (Jpn) Gary Stevens Neil Drysdale
6. Perfect Drift Stonecrest Farm Eddie Delahoussaye Murray Johnson
7. Puzzlement Scratched Joseph V. Shields Jr. Jean-Luc Samyn H. Allen Jerkens
8. Medaglia d'Oro Edmund A. Gann Kent Desormeaux Robert Frankel
9. Proud Citizen Robert Baker Mike Smith D. Wayne Lukas
10. War Emblem The Thoroughbred Corporation/Ahmed bin Salman Victor Expinoza Bob Baffert
11. Magic Weisner Nancy H. Alberts Richard Migliore Nancy H. Alberts
12. Sarava New Phoenix Stable Edgar Prado ken McPeek
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
- Kentucky Derby Winner Barbaro Euthanized Monday
- Horse Racing: Horse Racing Tips
- 2006 Breeders' Cup Preview: Sprint
- Horse Racing: An afternoon at the races
- Horse Racing: What ever happened to?....
- Horse Racing: Affirmed and Alydar -- Horse racing's greatest spring
- Horse Racing: A view from the infield
- Horse Racing: Kentucky Derby debacle finally over
- Horse Racing: We've all lost a good friend
- Horse Racing: Now it's going to get exciting
- Horse Racing: Bracing for slots
- Horse Racing: "Sport of Kings" is alive and well
- Horse Racing: Oliver wins a cup he'd happily give back
- Horse Racing: Greatness slipped away from War Emblem
- Horse Racing -- War Emblem stumbles, Sarava pulls upset
- Horse Racing: Seattle Slew -- Athlete or non-athlete
- Horse Racing -- War Emblem wins the Roses
- Horse Racing -- Kentucky Derby preview
- Horse Racing: Drawn to Saratoga
- Horse Racing