The Post’s Ed Fountaine continues his daily look at the 11 horses who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness but lost the Belmont Stakes since Affirmed won racing’s most recent Triple Crown in 1978.
Our Emblem — Sweetest Lady, by Lord at War
Trainer: Bob Baffert • Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Owner: The Thoroughbred Corp.
War Emblem wasn’t on anyone’s radar screen until he won the Illinois Derby a month before the Kentucky Derby by 6¼ lengths. Even after that, his trainer, Frank Springer, had no plans to run for the roses.
Then Bob Baffert stepped in to buy War Emblem privately for a reported $1 million on behalf of Saudi prince Ahmed bin Salman’s Thoroughbred Corp. A couple weeks later, Baffert had his third Derby winner. After the Triple Crown, War Emblem raced three more times, winning the Haskell and finishing off the board in the Pacific Classic and Breeders’ Cup Classic.
l The first two jewels: The speed duel that everyone expected in the Kentucky Derby never materialized. War Emblem shook loose on the lead, set an easy pace and won by four lengths at 20-1. Favored at 5-2 in the Preakness, War Emblem dueled with 51-1 Menacing Dennis, pulled clear in the stretch, then held off the late charge of 45-1 Magic Weisner by three-quarters of a length.
l Why he lost the Belmont: They’re off, you lose! War Emblem, the 6-5 favorite, lost all chance when he stumbled badly out of the gate. He made a menacing move to the lead on the far turn but then tired badly to finish eighth, beaten almost 20 lengths.
Said Baffert, upon missing the Triple Crown for the third time in six years: “He was so one-dimensional, as soon as he was behind horses, I had to sit there for 2 ½ minutes waiting for the race to be over.”
l The winner: Sarava, trained by Ken McPeek and ridden by Edgar Prado, was the longest-priced winner in Belmont history. He topped a superfecta that returned $145,334.
RESULT:
1. Sarava, 1st by a half-length, paid $142.50
2. Medaglia d’Oro, 2nd by 9½ lengths at 16-1
3. Sunday Break, 3rd by a length at 8-1