May 20, 2002	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 7, 1423

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BALTIMORE (Maryland), May 19: Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem fought off a late charge by longshot Magic Weisner to win the $1 million Preakness Stakes in impressive fashion Saturday.

The colt is now just one win away from becoming US thoroughbred racing’s first Triple Crown winner in nearly a quarter-century.

War Emblem’s jockey Victor Espinoza was content to let longshot Menacing Dennis set the early pace, settling his dark bay clear of the field into second place.

As the 5-2 the betting favorite in the field of 13, War Emblem stalked Menacing Dennis until the final turn when Espinoza let his colt grab the lead.

The 29-year-old Espinoza tapped War Emblem with his whip just a few times to win his first Preakness easily in 1:56.36, well off the Pimlico Race Course record.

Winning the first two legs of the Triple Crown is nothing new to War Emblem trainer Bob Baffert. He trained Silver Charm to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 1997 and did the same with Real Quiet in 1998 but failed each time to win the Belmont.

The third race in the Triple Crown series, the Belmont Stakes, is on June 8 in Elmont, New York.

Baffert, who claimed his fourth Preakness and seventh win in Triple Crown races, said he was nervous seeing Magic Weisner close the gap in the final strides.

Magic Weisner was second by three-quarters of a length, and Proud Citizen third in the mile and 3/16 race. Early pace-setter Menacing Dennis tired badly down the stretch and finished 10th.

Baffert persuaded Prince Ahmed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia to spend $900,000 to buy War Emblem just three weeks before the Kentucky Derby. He will now try to guide War Emblem to the first Triple Crown since Affirmed did the trick in 1978.

War Emblem paid $7.60, $6 and $4.40 for a $2 wager. Local favorite Magic Weisner, the only Maryland-bred in the field, paid $33 and $14, while Proud Citizen was worth $5 for each $2 show ticket.

Proud Citizen lost ground while racing five wide for the first six furlongs and could not muster enough strength down the stretch, finishing three-quarters of a length behind Magic Weisner.

Medaglia d’Oro, the second favorite by the bettors at 3-1, tired at the quarter pole and finished eighth.

Order of finish with margins in lengths:

1. War Emblem 3/4; 2. Magic Weisner, 3/4; 3. Proud Citizen, 1-1/2; 4. Harlan’s Holiday, neck; 5. Easyfromthegitgo, 7; 6. U S S Tinosa, 6-1/2; 7. Crimson Hero, 1/2; 8. Medaglia d’Oro, 3/4; 9. Straight Gin, 3; 10. Menacing Dennis, 6-3/4; 11. Table Limit, head; 12. Booklet, 1/2; 13. Equality.—Reuters