Trainer Bob Baffert got his wish Wednesday when his Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem drew the No. 10 post position for Saturday’s 134th running of the Belmont Stakes. Now comes the hard part for War Emblem: winning the Belmont and becoming thoroughbred racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner.
“I’d rather be on the outside than inside,” Baffert said. “He wants to get it on early. He can leave from there and sort of dictate.”
Last year Baffert won both the Preakness and Belmont with Point Given, but in his two previous attempts to sweep the Triple Crown , the Belmont was his undoing. He fell three-quarters of a length short with Silver Charm in 1997 and missed by a nose with Real Quiet in 1998.
“War Emblem is different than those other two,” Baffert said. “They ran from off the pace a little bit. He’s learning to relax a little bit but still you can’t take his game away.
“With [jockey] Victor [Espinoza], there’s no thinking involved. Just get him out of the gate and let him go. There’s some speed horses he will have to take on; it’s not a gimme.”
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%% Belmont odds
PP HORSE JOCKEY ODDS
1. Artax Too Santos 50-1
2. Like A Hero Day 30-1
3. Wiseman’s Ferry Chavez 20-1
4. Essence Of Dubai Bailey 30-1
5. Sunday Break Stevens 6-1
6. Perfect Drift Delahoussaye 8-1
7. Puzzlement Samyn 30-1
8. Medaglia d’Oro Desormeaux 10-1
9. Proud Citizen Smith 5-1
10. War Emblem Espinoza Even
11. Magic Weisner Migliore 15-1
12. Sarava Prado 30-1
Distance: 1 1/2 miles. Purse: $1 million. First place: $600,000.
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