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Back in the saddle McPeek tries again to win a Triple Crown racePosted: Wednesday June 05, 2002 1:56 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- Ken McPeek grabs Sarava's tail with one hand and a blade with the other as he tries to cut a dirty white bandage off the antsy colt's left rear leg. It takes several attempts, with a lot of head-jerking by Sarava, before McPeek slices through the tape. Nothing has been easy for McPeek in this year's Triple Crown series. His top prospect, Repent, was injured in losing the Illinois Derby to War Emblem, who can become the 12th Triple Crown winner with a victory in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. War Emblem will break from the No. 10 post in the field of 12 3-year-olds. He was installed as the even-money favorite Wednesday. "I feel confident about him," trainer Bob Baffert said. "I'd rather be outside than inside." Artax Too, the longest shot in the field at 50-1, drew No. 1 -- where a record 22 Belmont winners have come from. Proud Citizen, second to War Emblem in the Derby, was made the second choice at 5-1 and will start in the No. 9 post. The third choice at 6-1 is Sunday Break, who'll be in No. 5. McPeek's No. 2 horse, Harlan's Holiday -- the highest-priced favorite in Kentucky Derby history -- faded to seventh and then was fourth in the Preakness. So the trainer went deeper into his barn and came up with Sarava, who will be making his graded stakes debut in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont. Sarava drew the 12th post. He'll be next to 15-1 shot Magic Weisner, who was a surprising second to War Emblem in the Preakness. "I figured I'd be here with probably Harlan or Repent," McPeek said. "That's the way things work out in this game. A lot of things change in a short period of time." Sarava is one of six new opponents to challenge War Emblem in the Belmont. Five others -- who ran in the Derby, Preakness or both -- are back for another go at the speedy black colt. "All we need now is a little luck," said Hanne Jorgensen, Sarava's groom and exercise rider. "Look at the Derby. War Emblem paid $43." Sarava has made just three starts for McPeek, finishing second in two Kentucky races and winning the Sir Barton on the Preakness undercard. "This horse deserves a chance," he said. "The owner is game to run him and I don't have fear of trying him because I think he'll go the distance." McPeek isn't ready to concede the silver covered bowl that goes to the Belmont winner to War Emblem, who won the Derby wire-to-wire and came from just off the pace in the Preakness. "I think he's going to struggle in this race worse than the others," McPeek said, citing the deep Belmont track surface. "He's run quite a few races in a row that are pretty difficult. It's hard to keep a horse on peak like that. A mile and a half, nobody's been that far. It'll test him." War Emblem is one tough horse, though. He breezed five furlongs in 1:01 in his final tuneup Tuesday at Churchill Downs in Louisville. He arrived without incident at Belmont on Wednesday morning. Baffert called the work "perfect" and "awesome," and said War Emblem is "looking good" for his one race to history. "He's got a long, fluid, efficient stride and he covers a lot of ground," Baffert said. "He's fast, he can get himself out of trouble and he's got this really strong will to win. He's got a lot of heart and he's got a lot of stamina. He's got all the ingredients." McPeek says Sarava, a small horse compared to War Emblem, has a similarly long stride. "He keeps going and going and that's the main reason we're here," he said. "I hope there's enough pace that sets it up for a closer like my horse." Lone Star Derby winner Wiseman's Ferry has the kind of speed to run with War Emblem, who stayed near the early lead in the Preakness. Wiseman's Ferry, a 20-1 shot, will come out of the No. 3 post -- well inside of War Emblem. "He's a horse that could keep War Emblem honest up front. Then again, War Emblem may need to keep him honest," McPeek said. "At one and a half miles, pace makes a race and a lot can happen. If War Emblem pulls it off, we've got to take our hats off to him, but it's still a little premature."
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