BATTLE CRUISER WAR EMBLEM LEADS WHOLE WAY FOR UNLIKELY DERBY TRIUMPH.

Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Ahmed Salman bought a Kentucky Derby. Bob Baffert lucked into a Kentucky Derby. Victor Espinoza stole a Kentucky Derby. Around Churchill Downs, they'll be arguing forever about whether any of that tainted War Emblem's victory at 20-1 odds in the 128th Kentucky Derby on Saturday evening.

It probably sounds better to say Salman was rewarded for taking a sporting gamble when he plunked down $990,000 to purchase War Emblem after an upset victory in a second-rate prep race. And that Baffert was rewarded for having the sharp eye for talent required to stick an unheralded horse like this in the Derby. And that Espinoza was rewarded for getting the jump on all the better-known jockeys in an oddly run Derby.

``The prince said all the way down (from the box seats to the winner's circle), `Pinch me, pinch me. Is this happening?' '' Baffert, the three- time Derby-winning trainer, said of Salman, the Saudi Arabian owner.

It was happening. Even in a year when everybody said anything was possible in the Derby, few handicappers anticipated it happening quite like this.

War Emblem and Espinoza shot to the front of the 18-horse field when the starting gates sprang open, were allowed to establish a comfortable pace in front of Proud Citizen and Perfect Drift, and stayed in front for 1 1/4 miles to win by four widening lengths as Espinoza waved his whip in triumph to the crowd announced at 145,033.

In contrast with a typical running of the Derby, the first three horses held their positions virtually all the way around the oval. Proud Citizen and Mike Smith finished second, less than a length in front of Perfect Drift and Eddie Delahoussaye, who had tried and failed to thread a narrow gap between War Emblem and the inner rail at the top of the stretch.

War Emblem paid $43 for a $2 win bet. The exacta ($1,300.80), trifecta ($18,373.20) and superfecta ($91,764.50) all set Derby records.

One reason War Emblem got away with a clear lead was that the speedy Buddha had been scratched Friday with an injury and Baffert-trained Danthebluegrassman had been scratched Saturday morning because of what was said to be a physical problem.

Another reason was that Medaglia d'Oro, a possible pacesetter, had trouble at the start and was stuck in midpack before rallying with jockey Laffit Pincay to take fourth ahead of Request for Parole, Came Home and Harlan's Holiday.

Another - bigger - reason was that when War Emblem and Espinoza turned onto the backstretch with the lead, the other riders sat back and waited, expecting them to falter.

Why should the other riders have paid War Emblem and Espinoza any respect?

War Emblem's very presence in the race seemed to be an act of vanity by Baffert and Salman, who were ridiculed for having to buy a horse less than four weeks before the Derby to chase the prize that eluded the two men in 2001 with heavily favored Point Given.

As for Espinoza, he's one of the best jockeys in California, and he has won major races before, but he had never proved himself in the heat of the Derby.

So War Emblem galloped on and on unchallenged.

``He was very impressive in his last race,'' Chris McCarron, Came Home's rider, said of War Emblem's wire-to-wire victory in fast time in the Illinois Derby. ``But you had to consider who he was running against. (Runner-up) Repent probably wasn't at his best that day.''

So McCarron and others let War Emblem go.

The final time of 2:01.13 made this the ninth-swiftest Derby but was accomplished on a track that appeared faster than normal.

One record was set Saturday: Favorite Harlan's Holiday's 6-1 odds made it by far the most wide-open betting in Derby history.

The wide belief that the Derby had no standout horses this year must have contributed to Salman's and Baffert's desire to get into the race.

The two men said they judged independently that War Emblem was Churchill Downs material after the son of Our Emblem won the April 6 Illinois Derby for then-owner Russell Reineman, 84, and then-trainer Frank ``Bobby'' Springer.

Reineman and Springer didn't plan to send the colt to the Kentucky Derby, and they agreed through an agent to sell him to Salman's The Thoroughbred Corp. Reineman retained a 10 percent ownership. A $1 million bonus, promised by Sportsman's Park for winning the Illinois Derby and a Triple Crown race, is to be split by the old and new owners and trainers.

Salman, 43, a Saudi ruling-family member who attended classes at UC Irvine, made a point of telling reporters: ``I'm the first Arab to win it (the Derby), by the way.''

Much pre-race publicity had focused on the Arab challenge by the Dubai sheiks' Godolphin stable in the form of Essence of Dubai, who finished ninth.

Because this was War Emblem's first race under Salman's green-and-white silks and Baffert ``trained'' him for only three weeks, they are going to hear that they bought thoroughbred racing's greatest prize.

``Anybody who says that, they're just jealous,'' Baffert said. ``We just got lucky we bought this horse.''

``Everybody buys the Derby,'' Salman said, ``because you have to buy a horse or raise a horse to win the Derby. If you tell me next year who is going to win it, I'll buy it again.''

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Jockey Victor Espinoza, aboard War Emblem, celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the Kentucky Derby.

Timothy D. Easley/Associated Press

(2) War Emblem, with Victor Espinoza up, ran unchallenged away from the field to win the Kentucky Derby by four lengths.

Al Behrman/Associated Press

(3) no caption (Kentucky Derby)

Box:

(1) KENTUCKY DERBY

(2) KENTUCKY DERBY CHART