(Derby Winner) War Emblem wins the Preakness

NBC Sports | May 18, 2002

[codebreaker]

And the Chicago owner gets 10% of the winnings, per the ownership contract.

[ninachka]

you mean horses like Secretariat, Seattle Slew (who also ran from the 8th post at Pimlico in the Preakness btw), and Affirmed?

[alisasny]

So be it, that horse has no idea of dollars going around it. He was bought right before Kentucky derby for nearly a million. A saud saw his potential and money is no object to those princes... Saudi Prince Ahmed bin Salman for 900,000.

[ninachka]

It's ok...you may root for whom you please...this is a free country! : )

I don't care who owns the horse...that really is besides the point here. Politics has nothing to do with it.

And chess may be A sport of kings but THE "Sport of Kings" is absolutely Thoroghbred Racing...

[Dales]

Was it not for Affirmed, I am certain Alydar would have been a triple crown winner.

Alydar was a great horse. But I believe that had Alydar improved by several seconds, Affirmed would have still beat him by a nose. No matter how fast Alydar was going to run, Affirmed would run just that much faster.

Does anyone else remember that Triple Crown? That Belmont was one of the most exciting sporting events I have ever seen.

[ninachka]

Yeah...I saw it...he was making a joke aimed at the ridiculousness of bringing politics into this I think. That ws how I heard it anyhow...and I laughed and I ADORE Dubya.

[ninachka]

He was bought for less than a million actually. Quite rare for a Derby and Preakness winner.

[ml/nj]

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

Perhaps we should organize a gettogether of Freepers for a drink sometime during the day. I'll be in the Clubhouse (2nd floor Sec C Row A/B) for my 37th consecutive Belmont along with a Freeper from DC and a couple of kindred spirits.

ML/NJ

[ml/nj]

Excuse me if I'm not rooting for him.

Actually, I think we should nationalize the horse and run him in the colors of the Red Cross.

ML/NJ

[clintonh8r]

Make it three...

[Common Tator]

And btw, the "Sport of Kings" is chess.

The Sport of Kings is war.

It comes from the years after the dark ages when nearly all of Europe was ruled by kings.

All the Kings were related since royalty could only marry royalty, so their family contests were settled with wars.

Queen victoria of England and Kaiser of Germany were cousins. In fact the Kaiser had a greater percentage of English blood than did Victoria of England whose first language was German.

It is intersting to note that at the end of WWI the Kaiser was allowed to abdicate and go live with relatives. The English King could hardly allow his cousin to be put to death.

[hchutch]

Yeah, but something is different about War Emblem. He held the longshot off once, he probably can do it again.

[OldFriend]

The Prince commented that he was being asked for his autograph and was more popular than President Bush.

May his van break down on the way to Belmont!!

[shezza]

Why would you love the symbolism? He's owned by a Saudi prince.

Today is Armed Forces Day. Brave soldiers shaking bad guys by the scruff of the neck. "Give peace a chance" crowd and Euro-weenies screaming how mean America is to those poor terrorists. Brave soldiers scouring caves for more bad guys. I just think the headline War Emblem Wins fits the day. (And no, not being a dyed-in-the-wool horse-racing fan I was unaware that the horse is owned by a Saudi prince. Saudis also own oil bought by U.S. military to fuel planes and tanks and humvees.)

[anniegetyourgun]

One of my favorites - Whirlaway.

[HairOfTheDog]

My favorite: Seattle Slew
Rest in Peace (Or RUN if you would rather!)

I was a young horse-crazy girl when he ran (still horse crazy now, but no longer young) I still remember it well. And as a Washington native, Seattle Slew felt like a local win to me and I really bonded with that horse.

I saw a brief memorial to Seattle Slew prior to the running of the Preakness yesterday. Did you see that? - Seeing him in his last days with his back-end giving his so much trouble when he walked... It brought me to tears to see him so lame and I was glad the men were not around to see me sobbing!

I for one am rooting for War Emblem to win the Triple Crown, because he is a heck of a lot of horse, and it would be a Baffert (the trainer) win. I just really like the cocky elegant Baffert!...

And, I have to admit... When it comes to horses, the Arabs have to be given credit for knowing magnificence when they see it. The most elegant riding horses in the world come from there. My own gentleman gelding, is pure Arabian and a very fine animal he is at 21 years old.

War Emblem ran away with the Derby, and looked strong in the Belmont. Around the third turn, when he passed the tiring early leader, I asked, OK - has he still got horse? - And he powered up and sprinted for home. And who was that little filly that was running up fast there at the end... Where did she come from? - Great race...

[anniegetyourgun]

Yep.

Here's another beautiful champ:

Man O' War, 1917- 1947

[HairOfTheDog]

One has to wonder how the greats would match up. Who would win a race of Man-O-War, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Unbridled, the other great horses? - you can't really compare them by time... as their speed would be influenced by the speed of the others in the race at the time.

What do you think? - Are the horses today faster than those of the past? Have they been improved even more? - or not? Is the thoroughbred of today pretty much the same as it was in 1917?

[anniegetyourgun]

Oh, that image of Man o'War above didn't stick. That was a fine beast.

I wonder about your question....so many variables. I consider the jockey to be one of the key variables in the whole mix too. Tough to say, but wouldn't it be a grand race to see all those ghosts of the past return for one last great race......

Maybe one day at that fast racetrack in the sky?

[HairOfTheDog]

Maybe, but only if they wish to... they don't have to work up there!