2003 PREAKNESS STAKES

War Emblem captures 127th Preakness Stakes

Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem has a chance to become the 12th Triple Crown winner in thoroughbred racing history after capturing the 127th Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.

War Emblem, with Victor Espinoza aboard, covered the 1 3/16 miles in a time of 1:56 1/5 on a fast track.

Longshot Magic Weisner finished second, three-quarters of a length behind, followed by Proud Citizen, the second-place finisher in the Derby. Harlan's Holiday, the beaten Derby favorite, was fourth.

Trainer Bob Baffert earned his fourth Preakness Stakes victory, including his second in a row with a colt owned by the Thoroughbred Corp., and will head to the Belmont Stakes on June 8 with his third chance at a Triple Crown champion. He saddled Silver Charm in 1997 and Real Quiet in '98 to victories in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, only to come up just short at Belmont Park.

"I like my chances, the third time's a charm," Baffert said about the Belmont. "If it's meant to be, it's meant to be."

The last Triple Crown winner was Affirmed in 1978.

Last year, Baffert and Saudi Prince Ahmed bin Salman, owner the Thoroughbred Corp., won the Preakness and Belmont with Point Given. The two men have now won four straight Triple Crown races.

Saturday's Preakness victory was worth $650,000 and increased War Emblem's 2002 earnings to $2.855 million. The son of Our Emblem has won four of six starts this year.

"It's just amazing, he gets better and better," Baffert said. "We found out today that opinions die, records live and this horse is for real." War Emblem, who went off as the 5-2 favorite, paid $7.60, $6.00 and $4.40, while 45-1 shot Magic Weisner returned $33.00 and $14.00. Proud Citizen paid $5.00 to show.

Menacing Dennis took the lead heading around the clubhouse turn, with War Emblem, who led from wire-to-wire two weeks ago at Churchill Downs, tucked just outside of him. Booklet and Medaglia d'Oro were right behind the leaders heading to the backstretch.

It was still Menacing Dennis first along the rail with War Emblem second on the outside along the backstretch, followed by U S S Tinosa, Medaglia d'Oro and Booklet, but Menacing Dennis finally dropped off heading to the final turn.

War Emblem assumed the lead with Proud Citizen trailing, as the two hit the top of the stretch in similar fashion to the Kentucky Derby. Proud Citizen closed to within a length in mid-stretch, but didn't have enough and was passed by the hard-charging Magic Weisner, who nearly caught the leader at the wire.

"It's a shame we ran out of racetrack," said Magic Weisner jockey Richard Migliore. "He was getting to him really quick."

Proud Citizen held on for third and Harlan's Holiday was fourth, followed by Easyfromthegitgo, U S S Tinosa, Crimson Hero and Medaglia d'Oro.

Straight Gin finished ninth and was taken from the track on an ambulance with a non-life-threatening bowed tendon.

Menacing Dennis, Table Limit, Booklet and Equality rounded out the field of 13.

War Emblem is the eighth horse since Affirmed to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown. The last to win at Churchill and Pimlico was Charismatic in 1999, but the D.Wayne Lukas colt finished third at the Belmont.

Baffert's Triple Crown chances in 1997 and '98 were much closer. Silver Charm lost the '97 Belmont by three-quarters of a length to Touch Gold, and Real Quiet was beaten by a Victory Gallop nose the following year.

Other winners of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness to come up short at Belmont since 1978 include Spectacular Bid (1979), Pleasant Colony (1981), Alysheba (1987) and Sunday Silence (1989).

05/18 20:27:06 ET