Thursday, Thoroughbred Daily News June 6, 2002 TDN For information, call (732) 747-8060. HEADLINE NEWS IT’S WAR AGAINST ELEVEN RIVALS More Speed To Lead For the fourth time in the last six years, just the GI Additionally, Wiseman’s Ferry (Hennessy), who wired Belmont S. stands between horse and racing immortal- the GIII Lone Star Derby from the 14-hole May 11, is ity. An alert and curious War Emblem (Our Emblem) likely to be sent from post position three by jockey ambled down the ramp upon his arrival at Farmingdale Jorge Chavez, while Sunday Break (Jpn) (Forty Niner) Airport yesterday morning, his ebony coat glistening on has displayed versatility enough to adapt to the shape a warm and humid day in the Big Apple. A short time of the race. The Japanese-bred colt raced with the pace later, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner drew of the GI Wood Memorial Apr. 13 before finishing a post position number 10 for Saturday’s final leg of the game third and came from just off the pace to score Triple Crown and was installed the even-money favorite on the morning line. “The horse is doing great,” trainer the GII Peter Pan S. at Belmont May 25. Bob Baffert told track announcer Tom Durkin during yesterday’s traditional post posi- tion pull. “I am very happy with The Few, The Proud, The Forgotten... the draw. I wanted an outside On Derby Day, jockey Eddie Delahoussaye quickly post. He is a fast horse. He can determined that the slow pace would hinder Perfect leave there and dictate the pace Drift (Dynaformer) and decided to race with the leaders. he wants.” Baffert later added, “You can’t take his game away A come-from-behind winner of the Mar. 23 GII Lane’s from him. I don’t want to see End Spiral S., he lacked a late punch, but finished a [jockey] Victor Espinoza pulling creditable third. Looking to become only the second hard because that weakens him.” gelding to win the Belmont, he figures to get a reason- Certainly, Prince Ahmed able pace to run at this time around. “He’ll run over it,” Salman’s colt has shown that he trainer Murray Johnson said of the Belmont Park sur- is quick enough to gain the front face. “He loves running on turns. The Belmont track end if he wants it, but there ap- suits his style.” Medaglia d’Oro (El Prado {Ire}), a trou- pears to be plenty of potential bled fourth following a slow pace in the Derby, was a War Emblem speed horses to his inside. Proud disappointing eighth in the Preakness after racing too Horsephotos Citizen (Gone West) could revert close to the fast pace. A generous 10-1 chance on the to the front-running style which early line, the attractive dark bay has every right to helped him win the GII Coolmore Lexington S. in April. An excellent runner-up in the Derby, the D. Wayne rebound with a better trip. Trainer Bobby Frankel has Lukas pupil comes into the “Test of a Champion” off a tabbed jockey Kent Desormeaux to ride. solid third in the Preakness, despite enduring a tough, wide trip at Old Hilltop. “He has had four races in eight weeks, but he doesn’t give me any indication that he is THE 134th BELMONT FIELD backing up,” said Lukas. “I think he has moved for- ward. I like his muscle tone, his weight is exceptional, he seems to be handling the stress of the campaign. 1 Artax Too 7 Puzzlement But you can’t be sure until they’re turning for home.” 2 Like a Hero 8 Medaglia d’Oro The bay is the second choice on the morning line at 5-1. 3 Wiseman’s Ferry 9 Proud Citizen (Belmont S. field p2) 4 Essence of Dubai 10 War Emblem 5 Sunday Break (Jpn) 11 Magic Weisner Harlan’s Holiday Changes Teams...................p2 6 Perfect Drift 12 Sarava ASTRA wins her second GI Gamely H. for THEATRICAL John G. Sikura, President PHONE: (859) 255-8290 the #1turf sire in North America. FAX: (859) 281-6148 TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 6/6/02 • PAGE 2 of 4 10 WAR EMBLEM Our Emblem Even P T H E B E L M O N T P ($20,000 yrl ‘00 KEESEP) O-The Thoroughbred Corporation; B-Charles Saturday, Belmont Park Nuckols Jr & Sons (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Victor BELMONT S.-GI, $1,000,000, 3yo, 1 1/2m Espinoza. Lifetime Record: 9-6-0-0, $2,891,000. PP HORSE SIRE ODDS 11 MAGIC WEISNER Ameri Valay 15-1 1 ARTAX TOO Marquetry 50-1 O/B/T-NancyH Alberts (MD); J-Richard Migliore. O-Paraneck Stable; B-Audley Farm Inc (VA); Lifetime Record: 11-6-3-0, $433,110. T-Jennifer Leigh-Pedersen; J-Jose Santos. Lifetime 12 SARAVA Wild Again 30-1 Record: 5-2-0-1, $59,830. ($190,000 yrl ‘00 FTMOCT; $250,000 2yo ‘01 FTFFEB) 2 LIKE A HERO Pleasant Colony 30-1 O-New Phoenix Stable; B-Timber Bay Farm (KY); T-Kenny McPeek; J-Edgar Prado. Lifetime Record: O-Columbine Stable; B-Andrea Singer Pollack Re- 8-2-3-0, $86,845. vocable Trust; T-C Beau Greely; J-Pat Day. Life- time Record: 4-3-1-0, $118,910. 3 WISEMAN’S FERRY Hennessy 20-1 P N E W S T O D A Y P ($775,000 wnl ‘99 KEENOV; $300,000 yrl ‘00 KEESEP) O-Morton Fink, Lee Sacks & Swifty Farms; B-Nurs- HARLAN'S HOLIDAY TO PLETCHER ery Place & Robert T Manfuso (KY); T-Niall Harlan's Holiday (Harlan), the Kentucky Derby O’Callaghan; J-Jorge Chavez. Lifetime Record: favorite off his wins in the GI Florida Derby and GI 9-3-1-2, $364,669. Toyota Blue Grass S., has been transferred from 4 ESSENCE OF DUBAI Pulpit 30-1 trainer Ken McPeek to Todd Pletcher’s barn. Seventh ($2,300,000 yrl ‘00 KEESEP) in the Derby, the Ohio-bred was most recently fourth, O-Godolphin; B-Jonabell Farm Inc, et al (KY); beaten three lengths, in the Preakness S. May 18. T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Jerry Bailey. Lifetime Re- Co-owner Jack Wolf explained that he wants to cord: 7-4-1-0, $1,543,200. consolidate his racing operation in New York, where 5 SUNDAY BREAK (JPN) Forty Niner 6-1 Pletcher is based. "My wife and I recently bought a O-Koji Maeda; B-North Hills Management (JPN); house in Saratoga Springs and we currently have T-Neil Drysdale; J-Gary Stevens. Lifetime Record: some horses with Todd, who we've enjoyed working 7-4-1-2, $305,220. with," Wolf said. "I have no complaints about any- 6 PERFECT DRIFT Dynaformer 8-1 thing Ken McPeek did with Harlan's Holiday. He did a O-Stonecrest Farm; B-Dr William A Reed & good job with the horse. But we wanted to get all Stonecrest Farm (KY); T-Murray Johnson; J-Eddie our horses together in New York." While disap- Delahoussaye. Lifetime Record: 7-3-3-1, pointed, McPeek said he harbors no hard feelings $467,160. toward Wolf. "It's a part of this business," he said. 7 PUZZLEMENT Pine Bluff 30-1 "I'm very proud of the job we did with this horse. O/B-Joseph V Shields Jr (KY); T-H Allen Jerkens; The fact that my wife Sue was sick last year has J-Jean-Luc Samyn. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-2, given me a different perspective on these things. I'd $92,640. much rather lose Harlan's Holiday than her or my 8 MEDAGLIA D’ORO El Prado (Ire) 10-1 daughter." Wolf added that Harlan's Holiday was O-Edmund Gann; B-Albert & Joyce Bell (KY); tired after the Preakness and needed a rest, but he T-Bobby Frankel; J-Kent Desormeaux. Lifetime was hopeful the three-year-old could return in time Record: 6-2-2-0, $364,720. for the GII Jim Dandy S. or the GI Haskell H., both 9 PROUD CITIZEN Gone West 5-1 Aug. 4. ($425,000 yrl ‘00 KEESEP) O-Robert C Baker, David Cornstein & William TDN TODAY Mack; B-Edmund J Loder (KY); T-D Wayne Lukas; J-Mike Smith. Lifetime Record: 8-2-2-1, $532,117. Headline News .................. 4 page SMART STRIKE S In just the last TWO WEEKS: TENPINS 1st William Donald Schaefer Handicap-G3 S BOX 626, VERSAILLES, KY 40383 CLASSIC MIKE S 2nd $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes (859) 873-7300 FAX (859) 873-3746 E-MAIL: [email protected] STRIKES NO SPARES S 2nd $50,000 Hawthorne Stakes WEB SITE: lanesend.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 6/6/02 • PAGE 3 of 4 Friday, Epsom, Britain C L A S S I C C O R N E R P P VODAFONE OAKS-G1, £350,000, 3yo, f, 12f 10ydsT SC PP HORSE SIRE FOURTEEN SET FOR FRIDAY 1 9 ALEXANDER THREE D (IRE) Pennekamp A field of 14 fillies have been entered for Friday’s G1 O-Mrs N O’Callaghan; B-James Egan & David Hanley; Vodafone Oaks at Epsom, headed by Lord Weinstock’s T-B Hills; J-M Hills; Lifetime Record: 7-1-2-2, £21,748. Islington (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells), heroine of the G3 2 12 ESLOOB Diesis (GB) Musidora S.; and Godolphin’s Kazzia (Ger) (Zinaad O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell {GB}), who will have to overcome a wide draw in 13 if Farm LLC; T-Marcus Tregoning; J-Richard Hills; Lifetime she is to follow up her surprise success in the G1 1000 Record: 3-2-0-1, £45,530.