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back at pimlico wouldn't you know it, the rain is letting up but still coming down a bit. these guys know how to celebrate. i'll give them that. >> as we go back and look at this race a little closer, there was an apparent happening down the backstretch approaching the far turn. it looked like the cavalry was coming looked like american pharoah was in trouble. mr. z closing in, even his stablemate, dortmund divining rod, but victor espinoza was just giving american pharoah a breather right here. as everybody's toiling to get up close to him, victor is letting american pharoah rest right here, glide eight long and about the middle of the turn, which is coming up right now, he starts to let him out a notch, encourages him with his hand a little bit. now they're getting ready to turn for home, and victor says go big boy. and he starts to open up right here.

>> victor said after the race pulling up, he wasn't planning on going to the lead until the rain, even though that's american pharoah's best weapon. that's the case, then he is the luckiest mexican in the world that the rain hit, because that's the way american pharoah needed to run this race from the inside post position, just run them off their feet. and it's telling that the horses that were closest to him earlier are nowhere around him at the finish. >> so what happened to the other horses? let's look at firing line as he broke from the gate. jockey gary stevens nudges him just a little bit. oh he stumbles in behind. the horse slipped in behind even though he tried to break running. gary stevens had to collect him, which cost him a couple lengths. now he's stacked up and really you can't take back from this point to go to the inside so you have to go forward. he can't clear those horses so no matter whatever gary stevens tries to do at this point he is going to have a very wide trip going into the first turn. >> and running on a sloppy racing surface or anything other than a fast surface for the first time in his life. >> as you see turning for home,

firing line pretty much has had enough at this point. probably didn't handle the mud as well as gary had expected him to. and gary just eases him up at this point. >> you see dortmund way back there in third. he would finish fourth. he's going the wrong way. tale of verve the unlikely long shot comes running up to get second. firing line eased at this point in the stretch. american pharoah just turned it into his race. >> impressive win by american pharoah in the preakness. >> i like this one even better than his race in the derby. he did go so wide and lost so much ground at churchill downs but this to me was super impressive. >> if you average up the number of hits between the two races it's 32 between the two, so i don't think he had to hit him at all. >> well, bob baffert has done it again and as american pharoah goes back to the stable after this resounding victory in the preakness, he'll head on to belmont park. and bob and bodie and jill will

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back american pharoah has won the preakness stakes, adding that to his derby triumph and now has two-thirds of the triple crown with the belmont stakes to go. our coverage will continue on our post race show on nbcsn. it includes coverage of the 140th preakness stakes. and here's the complete order of finish. american pharoah, the margin seven lengths over tale of verve. divining rod was third, then dortmund mr. z, danzig moon, firing line and bodhisattva finishing last. now for the presentation, let's go to bob costas. >> all right, tom. and perfectly beautiful conditions we will now make the presentation of the woodlawn vase. you'll all be relieved to know that the vase itself, an extremely valuable piece of property has been well

protected and well covered so there won't actually be a handoff between governor larry hogan and ahmed zayat. but we'll nod. that's what we'll to. governor? >> well it's just a great day. in spite of the weather a great day for baltimore, a great day for maryland. we couldn't be more proud to host the 140th running of the preakness. i just want to congratulate everyone involved in this winning team, the owner, the trainer, the jockey, your entire group. congratulations. what a wonderful victory. >> thank you very, very much. >> hand him this trophy, actually. a replica. >> yes! >> how about that? >> there you go. >> we'll hear from bob baffert and victor espinoza with josh elliott in just a moment. but first, mr. zayat, once again, we did this two weeks ago. 13 other horses since 1978 have had the shot that you and your team will have three weeks from now at the belmont. how confident do you feel about the possibilities for american

pharoah doing what hasn't happened since 1978? >> i've always told everybody the real american pharoah will show off today. and indeed he did. he's the real deal for the sport not for me for the fans. i'm hoping, god, please, let's have another run at it. hopefully we'll see everybody in belmont. if he came out of the race well. he is the real deal and the sports need him. >> congratulations once again. >> thank you very much. >> let's go over to josh. >> all right, bob. well, bob baffert you were a bit mellower this week than you were perhaps leading into the derby. you said you knew you had the horse and today we saw why. what did you think of the trip? >> well, it was -- the weather really scared me but first of all, i want to say -- i'd like to thank baltimore. i know you guys have been through a lot in the past, but so happy to come here and everybody was so grateful to us and it's a good moment for the fans nape got to see a great horse run today and there's nothing like the added pressure of having a favorite, you know hoping to go to the next level.

and when the rains came down, i got a little bit leery, but i just thought, you know he's a great horse, he'll pull it through. and victor ran a tremendous race, just let him run, and that's the way he likes to run. >> all right bob. to your jockey, who's been here before, was here a year ago. victor you changed your strategy. in fact, when these torrential rains came, what was the change and what did you think of your trip? >> well after the high rain and the track getting a lit. sloppy in there and, you know, i take a shot, you know? i'm going to change my plan and take the lead because the inside it would be tough to, you know, get many behind all the that water. i don't want to get dirty. i don't want to get all the mud and go through that with american pharoah. so i decide to go -- and i can't see much. by the half-mile pole i really don't know where everybody was but i just keep focusing on american pharoah. >> now you're the first jockey with a third shot at a triple crown. again, you were here a year ago with california chrome. you went through all that hype,

especially leading into the belmont. what will you draw on that as experience? >> a lot. you know, i learned a lot there. i was very high you know, before we get there and next thing i know, it goes down. it just learn, experience, ups and downs. guy forward and i never look back. i just always look for the next kentucky derby or the next triple crown. >> congratulations to you, victor. we'll see you in new york. now jennifer juddkins, the official watch and timekeeper of the triple crown, will award the winners of the 140th preakness stakes with a time piece from the switch watch brands time piece classic collection. tom? >> all right, josh. and the period on a memorable preakness, memorable because of the rain, then the performance by american pharoah. that seven-length margin of victory is the greatest since smarty jones won by over 11 back in 2004. so, again the inevitable question -- does he have a chance to win it all? >> he certainly has a chance.

you know, win today was as authoritative as it gets. i still think the odds are against him in the belmont. his final quarter mile in the kentucky derby was not fast given the pace. you've got horses like frosted and materiality who ran very well in the kentucky derby who will be waiting for him, who may be more attuned to the mile and a half distance. they will certainly be fresher. 12 of the last 13 winners of the belmont stakes didn't win in the kentucky derby and the preakness. seven skipped the preakness after running in the derby.s the trend. i still think the odds are against him. >> one thing he definitely has going for him, his grand sire, empire maker, won the belmont at a mile and a half. i think with his long stride he can get it done. question is what kind of shape will he be in when he gets to belmont. this will take a lot out of him. even though he won easier than he did in kentucky this race will take more. he's got an extra week to recover but it will be interesting to' cie his energy

level, did he lose weight getting to belmont. things to sort out. >> the first triple crown bid since spectacular bid in 1979 that was voted 2-year-old champion to come back and race for the triple crown. here's the kind of day it was at pimlico. victor espinoza -- ha, ha, ha. let's go to bob costas. >> all right, tom. well, rain or shine here we are again for the 14th time now since 1978 and the third time in the last four years we leave the preek witness a horse that has at least a chance at the triple crown. and like california chrome a year ago in a certain sense not a surprise considering the fact that american pharoah was, after all the favorite at the kentucky derby and again the favorite here today. and beyond that, he is also in the stable of the sport's best known trainer bob baffert and he is ridden by perhaps the hottest jockey in the sport, victor espinoza. still, the belmont with its mile and a half distance, as you guys were discussing is not just the

final jewel of the triple crown, it's the longest race as well against a field that always includes at least some horses who have skipped one or both of the first two legs, thus coming in fresher. as they say, the belmont is the true test of a champion it's a test that american pharoah will now prepare to take. still plenty more coverage of the 140th preakness stakes ahead. our postrace show continues on nbcsn. tonight on nbc at 8:00 it's "the voice." later tonight at 11:30, it's the season finale of "saturday night live" with host louie c.k. and musical guest rihanna as we take one more look now at how it finished on a rainy day at pimlico. >> american pharoah is all by himself! he is five lengths in front as they come to the wire! and american pharoah and victor espinoza have won the preakness! >> victory again for victor

espinoza bob baffert, around american pharoah. now a shot at what no horse has done since affirmed in 1978 -- capture the triple crown. that chance will come in new york three weeks from today, saturday, june 6th, in the belmont stakes. so for our entire nbc crew, bob costas saying so long from pimlico racecourse. american pharoah is the preakness stakes champion and has two-thirds of the triple crown.

right now severe weather is

threatening our area. we track all the storms moving in and out. a police officer in the district is injured. why a fire rescue crew from prince george's county had to take him to the hospital. >> one person is dead tonight and now several others are displaced after a fire broke out in this top floor of this alexandria apartment building. we will have the details coming up. >> we will start with the weather alert and storms are rolling through the area and they have several warnings. is the threat over? live with what's on the radar right now. >> good evening. heavy rain pushed through parts of washington and prince george's county. visibility is starting to improve and light rain falling here in the northwest and heavy rain in the distance. this is the view from prince georges count y. heavy rain still falling there.

here's storm team 4 radar and a line of rain to the east of i-95 pushing lieu the heard of the district. headed out towards route 301 and heavy rain moving into base andrews and also towards waldorf and this is heavy rain. everything is below severe limits now, but we could see winds gusting to 40 or more with the stronger storms. south of town along i-95 towards fredericksburg these storms will go into southern maryland. should be reaching that area any minute. a few minutes after 7:00 anda southern maryland. we are not quite done with this quite yet. for now it account reintensify

as it moves into southern maryland. we will look at the radar and storms are likely and more storms likely tomorrow. we will time that up for you when i see them next. >> we sent you an alert when the warnings went into effect. track severe weather any time. search npc washington weather in the app store or google play. one person is dead and another in the hospital after a fire broke out. it was mostly confined to one apartment, but the firefighters had to shut off the electricity to the entire building. news 4's megan fitzgerald reports from the scene. >> investigators say the fire broke out at about 6:00 this morning and started at the back of the third floor unit the same location where they found one man dead. >> scarey is one way they describe it early saturday

morning. >> i was leaving in my apartment with my wife. >> they snapped these pictures after the fire started. atf agents and firefighters arrived on scene working to evacuate residents and ex-thing kwish the fair they say started in a third floor unit. for know one man it was too late. >> my husband maybe for the third time. >> her husband tried warning the man about the fire and said there was no response. firefighters say he was the man who died. fire officials say one other man was taken to the hospital with serious burn injuries. >> come out. >> as for the more than dozen people whose units were affected, they were left

wondering what's next for them and when they will be able to return home. they tell us the 11 units in the mid-section have been condemn and could be weeks before residents are allowed to return back in. red cross is standing by to assist the resident who have been displaced. megan fitzgerald news 4. >> prince george's county police is looking for people who have information on the double homicide. they found someone who had been shot on audrey lane. they rushed the weekend to the hospital but they didn't survive. they had another in an apartment building who was already dead. a man and a woman were found dead in stafford county. they think office it was a murder-suicide. a child heard gunshots and that child ran to a relative's house to get help and they found ashley hoffman and ramon williams dead in their home. a crash happened near silver

hill road this morning. three kids were ejected and two adults were also hurt in the crash. virginia sweet briar college's class of 2014 will likely be their last. they don't have enough money to stay open. it is nestled in the foot rils of the mountains. it made a lot of them angry. some threatened to disrupt them so he skipped the commencement. >> new developments in the deadly derailment in philadelphia. a federal railroad administration told them to immediately expand the control system in the area where the crash occurred. they notify the engineer when they are exceeding the the speed limit and applies the brake fist he or she doesn't respond.

the train was going more than 100 miles per hour in a 50 mile per hour zone. amtrak said they hope to restart limited service on monday. some of the army's air attacks deep in syria. they killed one of the leaders of isis. a defense officials say a team flew into syria on black hawks and ospreys. they killed a man who ran isis's lucrative oil operations. they captured his wife and rescued another woman held as a slave. none of the american troops were injured. the pilot of a gyrocopter who landed on the lawn is there. he explained some of his actions. doug hughes has been under house arrest at his home in florida since he was arrested after he landed on the lawn. in today's wash post he said he didn't want to hurt anyone or cause damage. he just wanted to bring

attention to the issue of big anonymous donations influencing our elections. still to come, you can expect to pay more to park in alexandria. why the city is raising fees. folks heading to the beach may have to share the water with a 25-foot shark. and mitt romney is used to political fights but this battle was with a

>> mitt romney is not throwing his hat into the presidential ring this time but last night he stepped into the ring in utah. he went two rounds with former heavy weight champ evander holy field. romney is 68 and holyfield is 52. he went down but the announcer said that was just a slip. he took the win this this charity event, but after it was over romney managed to get into a few political jabs. >> i was asked beforehand who in the world negotiated this bout where i had to fight someone like that? >> it's an organization that provides eye surgery and vision screenings for people in developing