Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem led a procession yesterday of six horses from Kentucky who arrived at Pimlico for the 127th Preakness Stakes.
His trainer, Bob Baffert, said the colt seemed unaffected by his first airplane ride. Baffert and his assistant, Jim Barnes, walked him under the shedrow at the stakes barn before leading him into his stall.
"I feel really good about this horse," Baffert said. "He's the real deal. He's like a stealth bomber - black, fast and dangerous."
War Emblem will not reside in the stall traditionally reserved for the Derby winner. Baffert selected a nearby stall in which the aggressive colt will have more room between himself and neighboring horses.
"He's just tough, but he's getting better," Baffert said. "I can go up and rub the top of his head. I couldn't do that before.
"Still, he'll try to take a whack out of anybody who walks by. He's going to nail somebody. That's his way of playing."
Baffert said War Emblem, whom he began training five weeks ago, is blossoming at the right time.
"He's just getting better and better," the trainer said. "I'm just enjoying the ride. He's actually doing better now than he was before the Derby."
Also arriving from Kentucky were Proud Citizen (second in the Derby), Harlan's Holiday (seventh in the Derby) and three horses who skipped the Derby: Booklet, Easyfromthegitgo and Table Limit.
Eleven of the 13 Preakness horses have settled in at Pimlico. Magic Weisner, the local favorite, remains at Laurel Park, and Medaglia d'Oro, fourth in the Derby, remains at Belmont Park. Both will van to Pimlico the morning of the Preakness.
Aitcheson on card
The steeplechase set receives its Preakness Week moment tomorrow when Pimlico hosts the Grade I, $100,000 Joe Aitcheson Stakes, the second leg of the sport's Triple Crown.
Eleven horses are scheduled to run and jump, led by unbeaten McDynamo, who won the first in the series, the Hard Scuffle Stakes at Churchill Downs, on May 2 with a powerful effort.
The race was moved back a day to the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes card to assure better handle and more exposure.
Maryland will be well represented in the race with Ethical Actions and Sharp Face (who sold for $130,000 as a yearling), both trained by Jack Fisher; Anofferucantrefuse and Mr. Fater, prepared by Tom Voss, and Geaux Beau, trained by Ricky Hendriks.
