ELMONT, N.Y. -- Don't cry for War Emblem.
America's star 3-year-old thoroughbred was unlucky to stumble at the start of the Belmont Stakes before suffering the defeat that cost him the Triple Crown.
But the idea is wildly exaggerated that this misstep caused his loss to the 70-to-1 Sarava, and that War Emblem missed making history because of a split-second fluke. On one of the most memorable days of racing ever presented in New York, War Emblem simply wasn't good enough to take his place among the sport's immortals.
To people who watch races day after day, seeing a horse stumble at the start is hardly an unusual event. Occasionally a misstep can doom a horse. Earlier this winter, the long-range Kentucky Derby favorite Siphon went to his knees in a stakes at Santa Anita, found himself more than five lengths behind the next-to-last horse and never got into serious contention. That's a disastrous stumble.
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When the gate opened for the 134th Belmont, War Emblem's jockey, Victor Espinoza, said his colt "almost fell down . . . I was lucky to stay on."
The poor start was especially harmful to a horse who is a front-runner by nature. The black colt was not going to find himself with a cozy lead as he did in the Kentucky Derby. But though his circ*mstances were now adverse, War Emblem had not been eliminated. Far from it. Espinoza coolly managed to guide the colt toward the rail and to sit in fourth place behind Wiseman's Ferry and the other leaders. Trainer Bob Baffert had been trying for weeks to teach his colt to relax, and War Emblem (by his usual standards) seemed fairly relaxed. The colt was in position to win the Belmont if he was good enough.
Espinoza managed to secure a ground-saving trip on the turn and the backstretch, and he moved inside the tiring leader approaching the final turn. But as he started to vie with Medaglia d'Oro for the lead, he abruptly ran out of gas. If War Emblem had wound up losing by two or three lengths to Sarava, racing fans might always look back on this race -- as they do, for example, on Native Dancer's trouble-filled 1953 Kentucky Derby -- and say that bad luck cost him a Triple Crown. But after War Emblem lost by nearly 20 lengths, it is difficult to argue that he was primed to win the Belmont this day.
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A record crowd of 103,222 came to Belmont in the hopes of seeing War Emblem make history, and an extraordinary audience was watching on television, too. Most surely felt deflated after the colt's poor showing, but War Emblem didn't deserve to affix his name to the most elite list in the sport. The test of greatness in a thoroughbred is not his ability to run well when everything goes right; it is the ability to overcome adversity. The great ones do it. Seattle Slew was as much a one-dimensional speed horse as War Emblem, and he almost lost his rider at the start of the 1977 Kentucky Derby, but the Daily Racing Form's Joe Hirsch wrote that he bulled forward "like an equine Bronko Nagurski" to seize the lead and race his way into the sport's history. Secretariat was famous as a stretch-runner, but in the 1973 Belmont he found himself battling head-and-head in one of history's most famous speed duels -- and, of course, he prevailed.
The events at Belmont on Saturday underscored why the Triple Crown remains such an elusive prize. To run three grueling races in a five-week period is a demanding challenge that takes a toll on the toughest of thoroughbreds. (Ken McPeek, trainer of Sarava, speculated that War Emblem may have been on the downgrade before the Belmont.) The three races invariably pose different tactical challenges that test a horse's versatility. For these and many other reasons, no horse has been able to sweep the series since the great Affirmed did it in 1978.
The sentiment is expressed every year that the emergence of a Triple Crown winner would be good for the sport. After Seattle Slew, the last living winner of the title, died this spring, people in and out of the sport hungered more than ever for the appearance of a new hero. That was the reason for the extraordinary enthusiasm at Belmont Park on Saturday.
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But a new racing hero should be a legitimate one. If Real Quiet and Charismatic -- neither of them a superstar -- had captured the Triple Crown in 1998 and 1999, racing's biggest prize would have seemed less special. And if War Emblem had benefited from an alert start and led all the way to defeat a nonentity such as Sarava, a Triple Crown triumph might not have seemed so special, either.
This is not a criticism of War Emblem. He is a colt with the type of raw speed that excites all racing fans, and the Preakness victory was one of the most impressive performances in a Triple Crown race in years. But he isn't good enough to append his name to a short list that includes Count Fleet, Citation, Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed.
Sarava, center, and Medaglia d'Oro, right, fight toward the finish line, leaving favored War Emblem in the distance.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As a racing enthusiast and expert, I can confidently say that War Emblem's stumble at the start of the Belmont Stakes was indeed unfortunate, but it did not solely cause his loss to the 70-to-1 longshot Sarava. While many may believe that War Emblem missed making history due to a split-second fluke, the truth is that he simply wasn't good enough to join the ranks of the sport's immortals.
In horse racing, it is not uncommon to witness a horse stumble at the start. Occasionally, such a misstep can prove disastrous and lead to a horse's defeat. For example, in a stakes race at Santa Anita, the long-range favorite for the Kentucky Derby, Siphon, stumbled to his knees, fell behind, and never recovered.
When the gate opened for the 134th Belmont Stakes, War Emblem's jockey, Victor Espinoza, revealed that his colt "almost fell down . . . I was lucky to stay on." This poor start was particularly detrimental to War Emblem, who excelled as a front-runner. Unlike in the Kentucky Derby, he did not have the advantage of a comfortable lead. Nevertheless, despite these adverse circ*mstances, War Emblem was not completely eliminated from contention. Espinoza skillfully guided the colt toward the rail and positioned him in fourth place, trailing behind Wiseman's Ferry and the other leaders. Trainer Bob Baffert had been working on teaching War Emblem to relax, and although he wasn't as relaxed as usual, he had a chance to win the Belmont if he proved to be good enough.
Espinoza managed to navigate War Emblem along the inside on the turn and the backstretch, eventually moving inside the tiring leader as they approached the final turn. However, as War Emblem started to challenge Medaglia d'Oro for the lead, he suddenly ran out of steam. If War Emblem had lost to Sarava by a small margin, racing fans might have attributed it to bad luck, similar to how Native Dancer's troubled 1953 Kentucky Derby is remembered. However, War Emblem's nearly 20-length loss makes it difficult to argue that he was poised to win the Belmont that day.
A record-breaking crowd of 103,222 people gathered at Belmont Park, hoping to witness War Emblem's historic achievement. Additionally, a vast television audience tuned in for the race. While many felt disappointed by War Emblem's poor showing, it is important to note that he did not deserve to join the most elite list in the sport. The true test of greatness in a thoroughbred lies in its ability to overcome adversity, not just to perform well when everything goes smoothly. The great horses have shown this ability time and time again. Seattle Slew, for instance, nearly lost his rider at the start of the 1977 Kentucky Derby but fought forward to claim victory. Secretariat, known for his stretch-running ability, engaged in a legendary speed duel during the 1973 Belmont Stakes and emerged triumphant.
The events at Belmont on that fateful day underscore why the Triple Crown remains such a challenging feat to achieve. Running three grueling races in a span of five weeks takes a toll on even the toughest of horses. The series of races presents different tactical challenges that test a horse's versatility. For these reasons and more, no horse has managed to sweep the series since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978.
Every year, there is a collective sentiment that a Triple Crown winner would be beneficial for the sport. The recent passing of Seattle Slew, the last living winner of the title, has intensified the desire for a new hero. However, it is crucial that any new racing hero is truly deserving of the accolade. If horses like Real Quiet or Charismatic, who were not superstars, had won the Triple Crown in 1998 and 1999, the achievement would have seemed less extraordinary. Similarly, if War Emblem had capitalized on an alert start and defeated a relatively unknown horse like Sarava, the Triple Crown triumph would have been diminished.
In conclusion, War Emblem, with his raw speed and impressive performances, captured the attention of racing fans. However, he falls short of the greatness embodied by horses like Count Fleet, Citation, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed. The Triple Crown remains a prestigious and elusive prize, and War Emblem's defeat at the Belmont Stakes serves as a reminder of the challenges and unpredictability inherent in horse racing.
