Triple Crown one win away for War Emblem

BALTIMORE -- War Emblem is versatile after all, and his victory in the Preakness Stakes has trainer Bob Baffert back in the Triple Crown chase.

The ornery Kentucky Derby winner didn't lead all the way this time, but he held on for a three-quarter length victory Saturday to set up a shot at the Triple Crown in three weeks.

"I like my chances, the third time's a charm," Baffert said, hoping his black colt can win the Belmont Stakes and become the first thoroughbred since Affirmed in 1978 to win racing's biggest prize. "We started with Silver Charm. ... If it's meant to be, it's meant to be."

On June 8, Baffert will get his third chance in six years to win a Triple Crown. And it's all because War Emblem showed up in his barn just five weeks ago, thanks to a last-minute purchase by Baffert's friend, Prince Ahmed bin Salman.

"Today he showed a dimension that nobody thought he had -- take the heat and keep on going," Baffert said. "He's getting smarter. He's learned to relax and he's saying, 'This cold be fun."'

Baffert's Silver Charm in 1997 and Real Quiet in 1998 both won the Derby and Preakness but fell short in the Belmont; Silver Charm by three-quarters of a length to Touch Gold and Real Quiet by a nose to Victory Gallop.

"The last two times I thought I could win it," Baffert said. "All three horses are three different horses. Fate owes me a Triple Crown."

As fate would have it, War Emblem earned his bid at racing immortality just 11 days after the death of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. Slew's death left the sport without a living Triple Crown winner for the first time since 1919 when Sir Barton won the Derby, Preakness and Belmont.

Unlike his wire-to-wire victory in the Derby, War Emblem didn't start out with the lead but was right behind pacesetter Menacing Dennis before jockey Victor Espinoza asked him to turn it on. He shot into the lead coming out of the far turn and held off 45-1 shot Magic Weisner for the victory. Proud Citizen, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, was third.

"He wanted to be in front of everybody," Espinoza said. "He gets very competitive when somebody tries to take his position. No matter what happens, he wants to be the best and win the race."

War Emblem covered the 1 3/16th-mile Preakness in a slow 1:56.36. A crowd of 101,138 -- the second largest for the race -- showed up despite an early morning downpour.