(Derby Winner) War Emblem wins the Preakness

NBC Sports | May 18, 2002

[jern]

There's still a chance horse racing will have its first Triple Crown winner since 1978. Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem, trained by Bob Baffert, won today's Preakness, leaving only the Belmont standing in between it and the coveted Triple Crown.

[shezza]

Ya gotta love the symbolism.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

Where's Michael Rivera?! This has to be a conspiracy by somebody! 8^)

[ninachka]

YEEEEE HAAAA!!!! Yay War Emblem and YAY Bob Baffert!!!!

On to Belmont and on to the TRIPLE CROWN!!!!!

(now I'm definitely going to the Belmont!!!)

[codebreaker]

Great race!

[jern]

[My Favorite Headache]

[codebreaker]

That longshot was thundering down the stretch..

[ninachka]

I am!!!

[SamAdams76]

Yeah, and don't forget, the Patriots winning the Super Bowl this year. Coincidence?

[My Favorite Headache]

Kentucky Derby Ratings Drop 12 Pct.

NEW YORK (AP) - Without the benefit of an attention-grabbing favorite, the Kentucky Derby had a 12 percent drop in TV ratings.

NBC Sports' telecast Saturday drew a 7.1 national rating, meaning an average of 7.1 percent of television households were tuned in from 5-6:45 p.m. EDT. It's the highest-rated sports event since the final round of the Masters on CBS on April 14.

War Emblem, a 20-1 shot, went wire-to-wire and won a race that was considered among the most wide-open in race history.

Last year's broadcast drew an 8.1 national rating, the highest for the race since 1992. Point Given drew a lot of attention before the race but finished fifth, then wound up winning the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

NBC is in the second year of a five-year, $51.5 million deal to air thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown series.

In 2001, the network moved the traditional 5:30 p.m. EDT post time to 6:07 p.m. in an effort to draw more viewers. The race started even later this year.

ABC's final Derby broadcast, in 2000, drew a 5.8 rating.

Each national rating point represents a little more than 1 million U.S. TV homes.

[codebreaker]

LOL! As long as the Triple Crown is alive, I will watch

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

We should have refused the Saudi access to a stable for the horse, and a seat to watch the race. Turnabout is fair play, (I'm referring of course to their refusal to let us use bases to launch from for an attack on Iraq).

[codebreaker]

A couple years ago when the favorite to win the Triple Crown was leading the Belmont in the stretch, the roar was so loud you couldn't hear anything.

Definitely a sports moment not to miss.

[toddst]

YEEEEE HAAAA!!!! Yay War Emblem and YAY Bob Baffert!!!!

On to Belmont and on to the TRIPLE CROWN!!!!!

This is some horse and probably will win the Triple Crown, barring an accident or error. A win will help bring needed excitement back into horse-racing!

[Arioch7]

I was waiting for someone to bring that up!

[codebreaker]

Belmont is a long test and that longshot almost ran the Saudi's horse down in the stretch today.

Could be a photo finish and someone gets nipped at the wire..

[ninachka]

That has nothing to do with this at all! War Emblem is a beautiful thoroughbred who is simply the best in the field! The saudi's have been in horse racing for years...and contribute quite a lot to the sport...and I for one, share their love of this most royal of sports...the sport of Kings!

[tenthirteen]

BELMONT is the graveyard of many horseplayer's dreams.