Crack wasn't even targeted in the War on Drug policies until the 80s. The drug was relatively unknown to the general public compared to the other drugs that were targeted. Even Newsweek reported in 1977 that cocaine was safer than cigarettes and liquor "when used discriminately"[1].

[1] http://www.crack-facts.org/historyofcrack.html

Yes, and the New York and Miami drug wars of the 1980s were consequences of the escalation of the law enforcement War on Drugs in the 1980s, including the targeting of cocaine in that war in the 1980s.

It doesn't matter whether it was unknown. What matters was that it wasn't sold legally. This is what makes the whole difference here.

Crack was targeted, because crack is cocaine.