This Saturday, Smarty Jones has a chance to do what no horse has done in the last 26 years -- win the Triple Crown.
It's a grueling task, and Smarty Jones has so far proven he's got a legitimate chance to pull this off. He was the best in class at the Kentucky Derby, beating 17 competitors in the slop, and he simply dominated in the Preakness, galloping 11-1/2 lengths ahead of Rock Hard Ten. Now he faces the toughest test -- the 1-1/2 mile Belmont, thoroughbred's equivalent of the marathon.
Belmont officials are estimating a crowd of 130,000, all hoping to see the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed pulled it off in 1978. Since then, nine horses have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness but have come up empty in the Belmont.
Smarty Jones is a wonderful story, almost along the lines of the legendary Seabiscuit, immortalized forever by Laura Hillenbrand's fine book and the subsequent summer blockbuster.
Trainer John Servis and jockey Stewart Elliott were relatively unknowns until the Derby win. The former trainer was murdered. The owner -- Roy Chapman -- is so sick from emphysema that he looks like he's going to take his last breath as each race unfolds in front of him.
Last July, Smarty Jones' handlers were trying to train him to work in the starting gate. He reared, struck his head on an iron bar and crumpled. He broke his orbital bone and incurred multiple hairline fractures. But he recovered after spending three weeks in the hospital and four weeks on the farm before training again.
How can you not root for this horse?
Incredibly, Smarty Jones has raced eight times and has won all eight races. Eleven horses have won the Triple Crown, beginning with Sir Barton in 1919. Smarty Jones could make it a full dozen.
Does he have what it takes? We'll find out Saturday.
Can't wait! Mojitos are on the menu! You're welcome to come over and watch the race with us.
Posted by: Liz | June 03, 2004 at 11:34 AM