(ADDING INFORMATION, QUOTES; WILL STAND) 

*War Emblem goes wire to wire, wins Kentucky Derby*
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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (Ticker) -- War Emblem broke away from 
the pack and never looked back.

In a wide-open 128th Kentucky Derby, War Emblem started quickly
and finished even stronger Saturday, claiming the first jewel of
the Triple Crown in rather easy fashion.

The highly anticipated event was without a clear-cut favorite
and had an 18-horse field, making it just about anybody's race.
Sent off at 20-1, War Emblem proved just that, making trainer
Bob Baffert a Derby winner for the third time.

With Victor Espinoza in the saddle, War Emblem pulled away in
the stretch and covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.13, leading a
parade of long shots. He finished some four lengths in front of
Private Citizen.  Perfect Drift had somewhat less than one and
finished third, another length back.

"I had a dream that I was going to win this race," said
Espinoza, who rode his first Derby winner.  "I felt very lucky
when I woke up this morning."

The winning bettors must have felt the same way.  War Emblem
returned $43, $22.80 and $13.60.  Proud Citizen, with Mike Smith
aboard, paid $24.60 and $13.40.  Perfect Drift showed for $6.40
under Eddie Delahoussaye.

The exacta paid $1,300 and the triple returned a staggering
$18,370.

Favored Harlan's Holiday never truly threatened the leaders and
finished seventh. Only one favorite has won the Derby in the
last 24 years.

It was vindication a year later for both Espinoza and Ahmed bin
Salman, the Arab prince who owns The Thoroughbred Corp.  In
2001, Espinoza was third aboard Congaree and Salman was denied
the roses with Point Given.

"I would like to thank Bob Baffert," Salman said.  "He's a
genius."

Baffert had won here before with Silver Charm in 1997 and Real
Quiet in 1998.  Afterward, Espinoza revealed it was Baffert's
idea to get out early and stay there without asking more of the
colt until absolutely necessary.  That didn't come until deep in
the stretch, when Espinoza simply wanted to make sure he would
not be caught.

"We had a conversation in the morning in the barn," the jockey
said.  "`Don't move until the last minute' -- he told me
probably 100 times."

Through Baffert, Salman bought War Emblem for $900,000 from
Russell Reineman less than a month ago after realizing none of
his horses were good enough to run the Derby.  He collected the
winner's share of $875,000.

Baffert also had entered Danthebluegrassman, who was scratched
early Saturday morning.  That might have helped the winner as
Danthebluegrassman figured to set a quick early pace.

There was action before the gates opened as Essence of Dubai --
the only horse in the field to win at this length -- threw
jockey David Flores, who was unhurt and remounted.

From the fifth gate, War Emblem was stride for stride with
Perfect Drift, which broke from the third gate.  He got the lead
just before entering the first turn and still held it at the
half-mile, running a relatively slow 47 seconds.

"By the half pole, I knew no one was going to catch him,"
Espinoza said.

That was true, although Came Home -- another favorite -- had
worked his way to fourth under Chris McCarron.  The pace
quickened a bit, but War Emblem was still in control, running
well off the rail as the leaders reached the top of the stretch.

In the stretch, War Emblem got the whip from Espinoza.  Perfect
Drift had his momentum slowed after being brushed by another
horse, but Delahoussaye said he would not ask for an inquiry.

It was the third straight win and fifth in eight career starts
for War Emblem.  He also went wire-to-wire in the Grade II
Illinois Derby in April.  Salman picked up another $1 million
from Sportsman's Park, which promised the Illinois Derby winner
seven figures if the horse won any Triple Crown race.

Medaglia d'Oro, another of the favorites, was fourth under
Laffit Pincay.  Came Home was sixth.  Ridden by Edgar Prado,
Harlan's Holiday finished lower than second for the first time
in 11 career starts.

"He came up empty," McCarron said of Came Home.  "Maybe
everybody was right and I was wrong.  Maybe he doesn't want to
go a mile and a quarter."

Johannesburg continued the futility of Breeders' Cup Juvenile
champions, finishing eighth after starting on the rail.
st 05-04-02 22:46 et