2002 Kentucky Derby

128th running of the Kentucky Derby

Horse race

128th Kentucky DerbyKentucky Derby

Location| Churchill Downs
Date| May 4, 2002
Winning horse| War Emblem
Winning time| 2:01.13
Starting price| 20-1
Jockey| Victor Espinoza
Trainer| Bob Baffert
Owner| The Thoroughbred Corporation
Conditions| Fast[1]
Surface| Dirt
Attendance| 145,033

← 2001

2003 →

The 2002 Kentucky Derby was the 128th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 4, 2002,[2] and 145,033 people were in attendance.[3] The race was won by War Emblem who led from start to finish.

## Race description

[edit]

The field was considered evenly matched, especially after the scratch of Buddha, who had won the Wood Memorial. The favorite was Harlan's Holiday, who had won both the Florida Derby and Blue Grass Stakes. He went off at odds of 6–1, then the longest starting price for a favorite in Derby history. Medaglia d'Oro and Saarland, who had finished second and fourth in the Wood Memorial respectively, went off at odds of 7–1.[4][5][6]

War Emblem was a relative longshot at odds of 20–1, despite having won the Illinois Derby in frontrunning fashion on April 6. Shortly after that race, he was purchased by The Thoroughbred Corporation (owned by Saudi Prince Ahmed Salman) and was put into training with Bob Baffert. Baffert trained the colt aggressively to build up his stamina, and quipped, "If this horse wins the Derby, it will be the best and shortest training job ever."[4]

As expected, War Emblem went to the early lead, running the first quarter-mile in 23.25 seconds and the half in :47.04. Jockey Victor Espinoza was then able to slow down the pace slightly as the colt maintained a lead of 1+1⁄2 lengths down the backstretch and around the final turn. In the final furlong, War Emblem opened up his lead to four lengths under a hand ride. Espinoza said that he knew no one could catch them as the colt had been moving so easily. He completed the 1+1⁄4 miles in 2:01.13, then the seventh fastest Derby in history. Another longshot, Proud Citizen, finished second, resulting in an exacta payout of $1,300.80 for a $2 bet.[1][4]

## Results

[edit]

Finished  | Program
number  | Horse  | Jockey  | Trainer  | Owner  | Odds  | Time / behind

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1st  | 5  | War Emblem | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | The Thoroughbred Corporation | 20.50  | 2:01.13
2nd  | 13  | Proud Citizen  | Mike E. Smith | D. Wayne Lukas | R. Baker, D. Cornstein, Wm. Mack  | 23.30  | 4 lengths
3rd  | 3  | Perfect Drift | Eddie Delahoussaye | Murray W. Johnson  | Stonecrest Farm  | 7.90  | 4+3⁄4 lengths
4th  | 9  | Medaglia d'Oro | Laffit Pincay Jr. | Robert Frankel | Edmund A. Gann | 6.90  | 8 lengths
5th  | 7  | Request for Parole  | Robby Albarado | Steve Margolis | Jeri & Sam Knighton  | 29.80  | 9+1⁄2 lengths
6th  | 15  | Came Home  | Chris McCarron | Paco Gonzales  | Farish, Goodman, Toffan & McCaffrey  | 8.20  | 10+1⁄4 lengths
7th  | 14  | Harlan's Holiday | Edgar Prado | Ken McPeek | Starlight Stable, L.P.  | 6.00  | 12+1⁄4 lengths
8th  | 1  | Johannesburg  | Gary Stevens | Aidan O'Brien | Michael Tabor & Susan Magnier  | 8.10  | 13 lengths
9th  | 8  | Essence of Dubai  | David Flores | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin Racing, Inc. | 10.00  | 13 lengths
10th  | 16  | Saarland  | John Velazquez | Claude R. McGaughey III | Cynthia Phipps  | 6.90  | 14 lengths
11th  | 20  | Blue Burner  | Pat Day | Bill Mott | Kinsman Stable | 24.20  | 16+1⁄2 lengths
12th  | 11  | Castle Gandolfo  | Jerry Bailey | Aidan O'Brien | Susan Magnier  | 14.50  | 17 lengths
13th  | 19  | Easy Grades  | Jorge Chavez | Ted West  | Desperado Stables  | 43.80  | 21+1⁄4 lengths
14th  | 10  | Private Emblem  | Donnie Meche | Steve Asmussen | James Cassels & Bob Zollars  | 22.40  | 21+1⁄2 lengths
15th  | 4  | Lusty Latin  | Glenn Corbett  | Jeff Mullins | Joey & Wendy Platts  | 22.10  | 26 lengths
16th  | 16  | It'sallinthechase  | Eddie Martin Jr.  | Wilson Brown  | Darwin Olson  | 94.50  | 28+1⁄4 lengths
17th  | 6  | Ocean Sound  | Alex Solis | James M. Cassidy  | K.M. Stable, Jim Ford, & D. Pearson  | 48.70  | 31 lengths
18th  | 2  | Wild Horses  | René Douglas | Todd Pletcher | Peachtree Stable  | 58.50  | 33+1⁄4 lengths

Scratched: Buddha, Danthebluegrassman

Source: Equibase Chart[1]

## Payout

[edit]

The 128th Kentucky Derby Payout Schedule[1]
Program
Number  | Horse Name
| Win
| Place
| Show

|
|
|
|

5 | War Emblem | US$43.00  | $22.80  | $13.60
13 | Proud Citizen  | \-  | $24.60  | $13.40
3 | Perfect Drift | \-  | \-  | $6.40

* $2 Exacta: (5-13) Paid $1,300.80
* $2 Trifecta: (5-13-3) Paid $18,373.20
* $1 Superfecta: (5-13-3-9) Paid $91,764.50

## Subsequent racing careers

[edit]

Several horses went on to record Grade I wins:

* War Emblem[7] – Preakness Stakes, Haskell Invitational
* Perfect Drift[8] – 2003 Stephen Foster Handicap
* Medaglia d'Oro[6] – Travers Stakes, 2003 Whitney Handicap, 2004 Donn Handicap
* Request for Parole[9] – 2004 United Nations Stakes
* Came Home[10] – Pacific Classic
* Harlan's Holiday[5] – 2003 Donn Handicap

## Subsequent breeding careers

[edit]

Medaglia d'Oro

* Rachel Alexandra – 2009 Horse of the Year. Preakness Stakes, Kentucky Oaks, Haskell Invitational, Woodward Stakes
* Songbird – 2015 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, 2016 Kentucky Oaks, Santa Anita Oaks, Coaching Club American Oaks
* Plum Pretty – 2011 Kentucky Oaks, Cotillion, 2012 Apple Blossom
* Vancouver – 2015 Golden Slipper
* Talismanic - 2016 Breeders' Cup Turf

Harlan's Holiday

* Shanghai Bobby – Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Hopeful Stakes, Champagne Stakes
* Into Mischief – CashCall Futurity

Johannesburg

* Scat Daddy – Champagne Stakes, Florida Derby
* Strapping Groom – Forego Stakes

Essence of Dubai

* Dubai Majesty – Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

Sources: American Classic Pedigrees, Equibase, Blood-Horse Stallion Register, Racing Post

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Chart of the 2002 Kentucky Derby". Equibase. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
2. ^ Kentucky Derby History, 2002
3. ^ "128th Kentucky Derby". Retrieved 2020-01-23.
4. ^ a b c "War Emblem Wins the Kentucky Derby". The New York Times. The Associated Press. 4 May 2002.
5. ^ a b "Harlan's Holiday". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
6. ^ a b "Medaglia d'Oro". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
7. ^ "War Emblem". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
8. ^ "Perfect Drift". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
9. ^ "Request for Parole". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
10. ^ "Came Home". Equibase. Retrieved 26 April 2021.

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