War Emblem Has First Breeze Since Belmont

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War Emblem breezed an easy three furlongs in :35 4/5 under exercise rider Dana Barnes at Santa Anita Park on Wednesday morning, the first recorded work for The Thoroughbred Corp.'s Our Emblem colt since his June 8 defeat in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I).

"He went really nice," trainer Bob Baffert said. "He was sharp and wanted to do a lot more."

War Emblem returned to the track June 19 after shipping to California from Churchill Downs three days earlier. The tough-to-handle colt was hand-walked around the shedrow for 10 days after the Triple Crown and since then has jogged or galloped daily. "He was getting a little wild on us, so we had to do something with him," Baffert said after Wednesday's workout.

Baffert said he has no specific plans for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I), but mentioned a possible return during the Del Mar meeting, which begins July 24. "The Pacific Classic (gr. I) is one possibility," Baffert said. "We have a lot of options. We just don't know which we're going with him yet."

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