LOUISVILLE, Ky., 6 May — War Emblem, owned by Prince Ahmad ibn Salman of Saudi Arabia, crushed a big Kentucky Derby field on Saturday, leading all the way and giving trainer Bob Baffert his third victory in the race.

Prince Ahmad, the first Arab to win the Kentucky Derby, expressed his happiness over the big win and said: "I present this victory to Saudi Arabia and its people."

He also thanked his father, Riyadh Governor Prince Salman, for infusing in him the love of horses since childhood as well as the desire to participate in constructive competition.

The governor of Kentucky, who presented the coveted cup, commended Prince Ahmad’s interest in equestrian races: "You are a man of equestrianism of high class and every US state is proud of your participation in their races. This victory will also strengthen the relations between our two countries."

Prince Ahmad, whose horses have earlier won major international championships, has been selected honorary president of the New York Racing Association. He is the first non-American to hold the prestigious post.

Prince Ahmad bought the colt only last month for the Thoroughbred Corporation whose successes in Europe include the 1999 Epsom Derby with Oath.

War Emblem was turned over to Baffert, who immediately found himself with a Kentucky Derby horse.

"We sort of came in here through the back door but we’re leaving through the front door," Baffert said.

War Emblem defeated the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Proud Citizen by four lengths, with Perfect Drift another three quarters of a length back in third. Medaglia D’Oro was fourth of the 18 runners.

Neither Saarland nor Harlan’s Holiday, the lukewarm co-favorites was a factor in the 1 1/4-mile race almost devoid of drama but watched by 145,033 fans on a delightfully warm and sunny day.

Saarland finished 10th, Harlan’s Holiday seventh, Aidan O’Brien’s Johannesburg eighth and Essence of Dubai ninth. Castle Gandolfo, O’Brien’s other runner, was 12th. War Emblem became the first wire-to-wire winner of the Derby since the filly Winning Colors in 1988. War Emblem’s jockey Victor Espinoza won on only his second Derby mount and knew he had to be patient. "I don’t know how many times Bob told me to wait and wait," Espinoza said.

"At the eighth pole I knew I had much the better horse than everybody behind me." For a Derby high on prerace drama because of the lack of a convincing favorite, War Emblem made winning look easy as none of the late-running moves expected by Saarland and others materialized.

"It was like everybody figured he didn’t have a chance," Baffert said. "I told Victor, ‘This is a really good horse; if you’re in front when you turn for home don’t panic, sit on him as long as you can.’"

Baffert said he was more relaxed about the 128th Derby than last year’s, when his highly regarded Point Given was sent off the top favorite but finished only fifth.

"It was a really humbling experience," he said. Baffert raised eyebrows when he entered Danthebluegrassman shortly before the Wednesday post-position draw for this year’s race, knocking Winward Passage out of a full field of 20. He rankled some again when he scratched the same horse early Saturday morning after the colt cramped up after a jog on the track.

War Emblem broke from stall five, got an untroubled start and led by a half-length after a quarter of a mile, by 1 1/2 lengths after a half mile and by the same margin with two furlongs to go. The final stages only allowed him to further show his dominance.