Sunday, May 19, 2002
Cauthen hopes War Emblem wins Triple Crown
By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Steve Cauthen will be rooting for War Emblem in the Belmont Stakes.
Aboard Affirmed in 1978, Cauthen was the last jockey to guide a horse to the Triple Crown. War Emblem will try to become the 12th horse to sweep the series, after adding a victory in Saturday's Preakness Stakes to his Kentucky Derby triumph.
“I don't know if War Emblem is the horse to finally win all three, but he may be,” Cauthen said.
“If he is, I'll be happy. Racing needs it.”
Cauthen, now a horse breeder in Verona, Ky., thinks the Bob Baffert-trained colt has a real chance to win at Belmont on June 8.
War Emblem “looks like the class horse of this group so far. I don't see any reason why he won't have a great shot to do it,” Cauthen said. “It looks to me like he's becoming a more multidimensional horse. He's learning how to race and he's becoming a very classy horse.”
Affirmed, who died in 2001, was the third horse in five years to win the Triple Crown, after Secretariat (1973) and Seattle Slew (1977). No horse has done it since, though a few have come close.
“Twenty-five years between winners proves it's just not easy,” Cauthen said. “It wasn't easy when those three horses did it in the 1970s. It just happened that three great horses came along and each of them had some great racing luck.”
In 1997-99, horses had chances to end the Triple Crown drought after winning the Derby and Preakness. But Silver Charm ('97), Real Quiet ('98) and Charismatic ('99) fell short in the Belmont.
Cauthen sees few similarities between Affirmed and War Emblem, and cautioned that War Emblem's aggressiveness could be his downfall in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont.
“If he's pulling like he was today early in the race, I would think it will be difficult for him to hang in because of the distance and the way the racetracks are,” Cauthen said. “This horse just wants to get out and run, but he seems to be learning. Give him another three weeks. This horse has a lot of talent.”
Cauthen will be watching closely from home.
“I'm rooting for the horse as much as anybody,” he said. “If he's good enough to win it, that would be great.
“But it's great whenever a horse has a chance. It keeps everyone looking forward to the Belmont. Otherwise, the Belmont Stakes becomes a bit of a non-event, and that's always sad.”
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Cauthen hopes War Emblem wins Triple Crown
