War Emblem (USA)
February 20, 1999 – March 11, 2020
Our Emblem (USA) x Sweetest Lady (USA), by Lord At War (ARG)
Family 20-b
February 20, 1999 – March 11, 2020
Our Emblem (USA) x Sweetest Lady (USA), by Lord At War (ARG)
Family 20-b
An ill-tempered horse with a one-dimensional front-running style, War Emblem was nonetheless talented enough that if he had the chance to use his preferred tactics, few horses had the ability to catch him. He was sold to Japanese interests at the end of his racing days but proved an extremely reluctant breeder in spite of multiple rounds of therapy aimed at increasing his interest. The relatively few foals that he did manage to sire suggest that with more normal inclinations, War Emblem might have made a good stallion; as it was, he was an expensive disappointment.
Race record
13 starts, 7 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, US$3,491,000
2002:
Honors
As an individual
A dark bay or brown horse, War Emblem was short-coupled with a good shoulder, a deep girth and high withers. His hindquarters were strong with a long, sloping pelvis. He had bone chips in his knee and ankle joints from his yearling days on. His temperament was unfriendly and unpleasant toward both humans and other horses, and he was quite intelligent about getting his own way; as trainer Bob Baffert said of him, “You can never lower your guard with this horse.” As a stallion, he would bite and kick at mares he didn't want and at his human handlers. He was fond of peppermints and sometimes could be bribed to better behavior with them.
As a stallion
A notoriously shy breeder throughout his stud career, War Emblem routinely had multiple mares paraded by him during each day of the breeding season in hopes that he would deign to breed one. He sired no foals at all in 2007, 2008, 2013, and 2014. His largest crop was 43 foals of 2010. War Emblem sired 82 winners (68.3%) and 9 stakes winners (7.5%) from 120 named foals per The Jockey Club's records. War Emblem was gelded following his return to the United States as he refused to make the mare covers required by U.S. quarantine law to confirm that he was free of contagious equine metritis, a sexually transmitted disease.
Notable progeny
Black Emblem (JPN), Robe Tissage (JPN)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, War Emblem was bred by Charles Nuckols Jr. & Sons, who had leased the colt's dam Sweetest Lady from Russell Reineman. After failing to reach his reserve on a bid of US$20,000 at the 2000 Keeneland September yearling sale, the colt entered training under Reineman's ownership. He was initially trained by Frank Springer. Following War Emblem's impressive win in the 2002 Illinois Derby (USA-G2), Reineman sold a 90 percent interest to Prince Ahmed Salman's The Thoroughbred Corporation for a reported US$900,000 and the colt moved to the barn of Bob Baffert. At the end of his racing career, War Emblem was sold to the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station for a price reported as between US$17 million and US$18 million. After War Emblem's breeding difficulties became apparent, the stallion was the subject of an insurance payout estimated at US$13.3 million. Shadai reacquired War Emblem from the insurance companies involved and continued working with him until the horse was finally pensioned in 2015. War Emblem arrived at Old Friends Equine near Georgetown, Kentucky, in September 2015 and was found dead in his paddock on March 11, 2020.
Pedigree notes
War Emblem is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to listed stakes winner Pretty Gale (by Mountain Cat), dam of restricted stakes winner Roman Invader (by Roman Ruler). War Emblem's dam Sweetest Lady, a good allowance runner, is a half sister to Roman Heiress (by Broad Brush), dam of multiple stakes winner Lady of Peace (by Lord At War).
Sweetest Lady was produced from Sweetest Roman, a winning daughter of 1970 American Derby winner The Pruner and the Sky High II mare I Also. I Also, in turn, is out of the Roman mare Roman Song, making her a half sister to 1970 Hopeful Stakes winner Proudest Roman (by Never Bend) and 1975 Saranac Stakes (USA-G2) winner Bravest Roman (by Never Bend).
Books and media
War Emblem is profiled in Chapter 13 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo by Jessica Morgan; taken in 2016 at Old Friends. Used by permission.
Last updated: February 21, 2022
Race record
13 starts, 7 wins, 0 seconds, 0 thirds, US$3,491,000
2002:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Haskell Invitational Handicap (USA-G1, 9FD, Monmouth)
- Won Illinois Derby (USA-G2, 9FD, Sportsman's Park)
Honors
- Monmouth Park Hall of Champions
- Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (2002)
As an individual
A dark bay or brown horse, War Emblem was short-coupled with a good shoulder, a deep girth and high withers. His hindquarters were strong with a long, sloping pelvis. He had bone chips in his knee and ankle joints from his yearling days on. His temperament was unfriendly and unpleasant toward both humans and other horses, and he was quite intelligent about getting his own way; as trainer Bob Baffert said of him, “You can never lower your guard with this horse.” As a stallion, he would bite and kick at mares he didn't want and at his human handlers. He was fond of peppermints and sometimes could be bribed to better behavior with them.
As a stallion
A notoriously shy breeder throughout his stud career, War Emblem routinely had multiple mares paraded by him during each day of the breeding season in hopes that he would deign to breed one. He sired no foals at all in 2007, 2008, 2013, and 2014. His largest crop was 43 foals of 2010. War Emblem sired 82 winners (68.3%) and 9 stakes winners (7.5%) from 120 named foals per The Jockey Club's records. War Emblem was gelded following his return to the United States as he refused to make the mare covers required by U.S. quarantine law to confirm that he was free of contagious equine metritis, a sexually transmitted disease.
Notable progeny
Black Emblem (JPN), Robe Tissage (JPN)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, War Emblem was bred by Charles Nuckols Jr. & Sons, who had leased the colt's dam Sweetest Lady from Russell Reineman. After failing to reach his reserve on a bid of US$20,000 at the 2000 Keeneland September yearling sale, the colt entered training under Reineman's ownership. He was initially trained by Frank Springer. Following War Emblem's impressive win in the 2002 Illinois Derby (USA-G2), Reineman sold a 90 percent interest to Prince Ahmed Salman's The Thoroughbred Corporation for a reported US$900,000 and the colt moved to the barn of Bob Baffert. At the end of his racing career, War Emblem was sold to the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station for a price reported as between US$17 million and US$18 million. After War Emblem's breeding difficulties became apparent, the stallion was the subject of an insurance payout estimated at US$13.3 million. Shadai reacquired War Emblem from the insurance companies involved and continued working with him until the horse was finally pensioned in 2015. War Emblem arrived at Old Friends Equine near Georgetown, Kentucky, in September 2015 and was found dead in his paddock on March 11, 2020.
Pedigree notes
War Emblem is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to listed stakes winner Pretty Gale (by Mountain Cat), dam of restricted stakes winner Roman Invader (by Roman Ruler). War Emblem's dam Sweetest Lady, a good allowance runner, is a half sister to Roman Heiress (by Broad Brush), dam of multiple stakes winner Lady of Peace (by Lord At War).
Sweetest Lady was produced from Sweetest Roman, a winning daughter of 1970 American Derby winner The Pruner and the Sky High II mare I Also. I Also, in turn, is out of the Roman mare Roman Song, making her a half sister to 1970 Hopeful Stakes winner Proudest Roman (by Never Bend) and 1975 Saranac Stakes (USA-G2) winner Bravest Roman (by Never Bend).
Books and media
War Emblem is profiled in Chapter 13 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- War Emblem was the innocent cause of a legal dispute between Russell Reineman and The Thoroughbred Corporation over a US$1 million bonus offered by Sportsman's Park to any colt that could win the Illinois Derby (USA-G2) and at least one Triple Crown race. The dispute was settled out of court with Reineman receiving US$300,000 and The Thoroughbred Corporation receiving the remaining US$700,000.
- War Emblem became the first of three Kentucky Derby/Preakness Stakes winners ridden by Victor Espinoza. The others were California Chrome (2014) and American Pharoah (2015); the last-named colt also won the Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) to complete the Triple Crown. War Emblem was also the third of five Derby/Preakness winners trained by Bob Baffert; the others were Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), American Pharoah (2015), and American Triple Crown winner Justify (2018). Baffert also trained 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic, whose win tied Baffert with Calumet Farm's legendary Ben Jones as the trainer with the most Derby wins. In 2021, Baffert appeared to have scored a record-breaking seventh Derby win when Medina Spirit crossed the line first, but the victory was taken away via disqualification after the colt tested positive for the corticosteroid bethmethasone.
- After it was determined that War Emblem was easily intimidated by the presence of other stallions, the horse was housed in a barn with mares in hopes of lowering his inhibitions. It worked well the first season it was tried, but War Emblem's interest in breeding soon declined again.
- War Emblem acquired the nickname “Hannibal Lecter” from trainer Bob Baffert due to the horse's penchant for biting anything and anyone he disliked. The name comes from the cannibalistic serial killer featured in Thomas Harris' novels Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs, which were later adapted as movies.
- During his tenure at Old Friends, War Emblem was the only resident horse who had a double-fenced paddock to keep unwary visitors from inadvertent contact with him.
- While War Emblem was at Old Friends, Old Friends owner Michael Blowen would often come by the horse's paddock and race him down the fence line. The horse seemed to enjoy the odd challenger.
Photo credit
Photo by Jessica Morgan; taken in 2016 at Old Friends. Used by permission.
Last updated: February 21, 2022