By Beth Harris
The Associated Press

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - As Bob Baffert's 2002 Kentucky Derby winner faded from the racing scene, there was a sign that the trainer's fourth Derby victory might be just over the horizon.

Vindication won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at windy Arlington Park on Saturday, with his Baffert-trained stablemates Kafwain and Bull Market second and fourth, respectively.

"Right now he looks like he's the real deal," Baffert said Sunday. "I got goose bumps just watching him run."

Two races later, Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem finished eighth in the $4 million Classic in what was his final U.S. start before going to stud in Japan.

"He was a big disappointment," Baffert said.

The victory made Vindication the early Derby favorite. No Juvenile winner has ever won the Derby, but no Juvenile winner ever went 1 1-8 miles in the Breeders' Cup until Saturday.

That's a distance most Derby hopefuls don't try until March of their 3-year-old year. But the 2-year-olds ran longer in the Breeders' Cup because of Arlington Park's configuration. The Derby is 11/4 miles.

"We saw a pretty fantastic horse," Baffert said.

Vindication led most of the way and covered the distance in 1:35.80 to win by 23/4 lengths over Kafwain. The colt improved to 4-0.

"I think the fans are really excited about him. This is the time of year that people want to start thinking about next year's Derby," Baffert said. "War Emblem has been a big fan favorite. I think he's going to be the horse to fill his shoes."

Vindication earned himself a vacation for the rest of the year. Baffert's goal is to keep the colt healthy and sound until the first Saturday in May.

"The Derby is more important than anything in the world," he said.

Also in Baffert's barn is 2-year-old Icecoldbeeratreds. The runner-up in the Champagne Stakes didn't run in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

"There's a lot of horses that we're just getting ready right now," he said. "We've got some good ones coming. In January they'll be coming around."

Besides his Juvenile trio and War Emblem, Baffert had three runners in the Juvenile Fillies. Composure finished second, Santa Catarina was third, and Atlantic Ocean was ninth.

The eight-race Breeders' Cup card began with Azeri going wire-to-wire to win the $2 million Distaff. It was her seventh consecutive victory and 10th in 11 career starts.

Azeri all but clinched honors as the year's older female horse, and the 4-year-old made a strong case for winning Horse of the Year.

Her chances improved greatly after top contenders Came Home, Medaglia d'Oro and War Emblem failed to win the Classic.

"Am I supposed to politic now?" trainer Laura de Seroux asked. "My question back is, 'Who else right now?"'

D. Wayne Lukas trained Lady's Secret, the last filly to win racing's top award in 1986.

"The horse of the year has to have a certain amount of charisma," Lukas said. "When you get to the championship events, the one that captures the day is the one that usually will come out on top. Her filly certainly did that."

Lukas earned his 17th Breeders' Cup victory when Orientate won the Sprint.

In the day's best race, Storm Flag Flying lost the lead before fighting back in the deep stretch to win the Juvenile Fillies.

Passed by Baffert-trained Composure on the outside, Storm Flag Flying regained the lead and pulled away for a half-length victory in the 1 1-8-mile race for 2-year-old fillies.

"We ran into a buzz saw," Baffert said. "Composure gave us two seconds of a thrill, then that other filly just kicked into another gear."