Smarty Jones - Triple Crown bid - 2004

[ajump08]

way too fast early. 1:35.2 for the mile? c'mon, that's suicidal. Its a wonder he held on as well as he did. I don't think an other horse, besides the big red freak himself, has really come too close to matching that fraction in the race.

[Clipselive]

It's so easy to spot Smarty Jones with his unique 4 white foot and a white rein with blue shirt rider.

[NewarkBrickCity1970]

When Smarty Jones lost that race, I felt like doing a Godfather on that fucking Birdstone!

[TheOnceAround]

I know the ending and it still hurts... Good race by Birdstone though.

[allprog]

Birdstone got his buck on at the end.. he was lie F this i'm winnin.. i think if smarty new he was coming he would have hit that gear.

[kkende112233]

As a kid, I became a fan of Smarty and was absolutely crushed to see him lose the Belmont Stakes, especially that close. To this day watching this video makes me teary eyed. Bird Stone committed a crime that day. Even the jockey said afterward he felt sorry he had comeback and won. I will never forgot the feeling I got when it became apparent that Bird Stone was going to pass him. My heart dropped, it was like nothing I have ever felt before. It tortures me to watch this video!

[smartyjonesfan]

@kkende112233 I couldn't have put what you wrote into words any better, Smarty Jones should have won that race plain and simple and to lose the way he did is very hard to accept to this day. Horse racing hasn't been the same since, I wonder if things would have turned out different if Lion Heart had ran in the Belmont.

[eagles01211]

@kkende112233 but at the same time it would be a disgrace if all the horses just let him win the triple crown....its not an easy thing to do and it has to be earned not given...still love smarty and one of the best to ever run

[buckeyesooner82]

F*CK BIRDSTONE AND THAT ILLEGAL MEXICAN THAT RODE HIM.

[dabomb2045]

This crushes me everytime I watch this. I really believed Smarty was gonna do it....I wonder alot if this will be the last time we see a horse really have a great shot at the Triple Crown.

[wtywat15]

I haven't forgiven Jerry Bailey for how he rode his horse.  Same for Rock Hard Ten. This hurt even worse than Real Quiet b/c Smarty Jones was better.

[jon4321106]

Generally they euthenize all horses after their last race in the triple crown series, which is the Belmont. They did not do this to Smarty Jones however, which is a rarity.

[biglove38]

@jon4321106 Huh??? Idiot...

[datrubronxtale2]

you cant really blame stew, if the horse wants to run you have to let him run. pulling him back couldve messed up smarty's rhythm... rock hard ten and eddington tested him the whole way and he just ran out of gas.... but he went down like a champ

[MrStholeary]

It's garbage how the other jockeys raced Smarty. Look at Rock Hard Ten and Eddington...they weren't there to win. Smarty ran them into the ground.

At the time, I blamed Elliot for hustling Smarty. After watching it, it's clear he was doing the only thing he could do to win the race. He had to push Smarty and hoped he had 1 1/2 left in him. If he had tapped the brakes, Smarty wouldn't have started up again.

So close, breaks my heart every time I watch it.

[DartsRme312]

still after 7 years..it still breaks my heart....

[an08p]

some horses have the pace, some have the stamina, some got both. Those who had both definitely won the TC.. personally i would like to see the triple crown on 2000m, 1600m, 2400m. maybe only secretariat could have won on all 3 distances.. no disrespect to the great barbaro, he won well in the kentucky derby but we thought the same way about big brown and smarty jones but both didnt hold the 2400m

[seniyad71]

Is itjust me or did the jockey kill Smarty's chances at 8:18 with a double pull on the right reign? It looks like he tried to move Smarty in front of Birdside but all he seemed to accomplish was to slow Smarty down more. I think he just rides the whip and Smarty wins...So sad.

[tjjlm444]

@seniyad71 you know i was there in person and ive watched this race countless amounts of times and ive never noticed that until you pointed it out and you are so right. that double pull on the reigns slowed him down totally. great eye to see that and makes me wonder if he doesnt do that does smarty win.all along i blamed elliot for him not winning and after watching that at 8:18 i do even more lol. again thanks for poiting that out

[RUSSADAMS53]

he choked just like every other sports team in philadelphia!!!!!! LETS GO BIRDSTONE!!!!

[samynonthegreen]

That was a extraordinary triple crown season.  So sweet yet finished so bitterly.

[smartyjonesfan]

@samynonthegreen Yes it was, that loss at the Belmont was a real heartbreaker but I feel that Birdstone earned that win all the way, Bird would have won by a big margin if it had been any one besides Smarty. I dont think any horse will break Smarty's 11 and a half length win in the Preakness.

[caz11533]

Belmont is so hard to win after winning the first two that extra length is murderous

[smartyjonesfan]

i still get chills watching this and thinking of what could have been if Smarty Jones could of held on and won it all.

[cmf4321]

There are race horses..some better than others throughout racing history...and then there is the legend that we'll never see again on any level...Secretariat. Thank God we saw what supernatural looks like...and a miracle of nature. Nothing compares to his greatness...nothing ever will.

[8breyerlover]

is smary still alive? and i hate birdstone smary could have won!

[TheKplusTheA]

@8breyerlover yep! :) he's at three chimney farms, i believe, in kentucky.

[RySenkari]

Birdstone = epic troll.

[109367]

@Kulaness

Backtalk finished last :(

[anothamustangman]

birdstone hit 30-1 odds, that would have been a sweet pot!

[rickhh1]

When I watched it live, I knew he was going too fast for the distance. You cannot be doing 48 second halves and at the lead when you have a mile and a half marathon. If he reserved some energy, hung in fourth or fifth in the backstretch, and then hit the gas in the turn, maybe the end result would have been different.

[smartyjonesfan]

@rickhh1

[smartyjonesfan]

I think a different jocky would have did that, but Stewart Elliott decided to run the same race that he did in the KDerby and Preakness and that wasn't going to work against Birdstone, had been a big disappointment up until he beat Smarty, at one time his owners thought he had a chance of being a triple crown winner. When anyone watches the video, there is no other horse close to Smarty when they cross the finish line , so you cant say it's all Elliott's fault.

[smartyjonesfan]

Them calls by Tom Durkin are some of the best I've ever heard, still gives me goosebumps.

[PennsylvaniaCharli]

I don't care what happened in the end. I still love that horse Smarty Jones !!!

[rtrumble]

Oh Smarty you were so close. I'm almost 29 and have never seen a Triple Crown winner, but I am pretty sure you came the closest. Smarty is the best I've seen in my life time.

[FireGirlG]

@rtrumble Afleet Alex was just about as close. He may have been 3rd in the Derby but he was within a length of Giacomo. Still, heartbreaking for both horses all the same.

I still watch this race hoping the outcome will be different. lol

[109367]

I'd like to see American Lion and Backtalk run in the derby this year  :D

[ALYSHEBANDTHEBID]

I love this race, smarty jones is one of those rare horses, that you have to love ..regardless of what who but....any...

[breyer4life]

Mike Smith KNOWS WHAT HES DOING!

[saveus228]

quit crying about the other jockeys. As long as they don't foul your horse, they have a right to ride theirs any way they feel.

[leobarduchis]

wath

[wildhorses62a]

YYH GO SMARTY JONES YOUR THE CHAMPION!

[Tampaslice]

At least in the belmont you knew Birdstone was gonna pass Smarty. Poor Real Quiet was in front at the wire but the head bobs were opposite. Real Quiet is the closest any horse has been to the triple crown. Poor Smarty was exhausted, a Zito horse will run you down in the belmont.

[TheLimpwristed]

Edgar Prado is still a cocksucker for doing this.

[ilovevsboy25]

Wasn't Edgar

more like Bailey and Solis

[FanOBarbaro]

i do not hate Edgar...if it wasn't for him my precious Barbaro wouldn't have had a chance to make it off the track alive

[kadir1982]

cranker...once again, everybody took a shot at smarty,they didnt leave him alone,rock hard ten,eddington,purge, smarty couldnt relax or settle...it wasnt really the jockeys fault.after all that,smarty almost still won it...a more relaxed and settled birdstone came and got him in the end...sad

[clubpenguin77]

djv2448, no I don't, but it wasn't his fault.

[kopkingstevie]

that jockey is a total idiot he killed the horse at the last turn he would have won if he had have kept his patience until the last furlong

[kopkingstevie]

great horse

[clubpenguin77]

Smarty's my fave horse btw! Long live Smarty Jones!

[clubpenguin77]

lengua92, I agree. He was the one to win, and it's sad he didn't. Oh and cranker32, it wasn't Stewart's fault. (btw his name is Stewart not Sean) If you read the book My Guy Barbaro, Edgar Prado talks about himself winning on Birdstone. He knew what he was doing and Stewart was his friend, but he came to win, so he drove Birdstone on anyways. He just wanted money and fame. I hate Edgar Prado and Birdstone. But my point is, it wasn't Stewart's fault.

[djv2448]

so you really think edgar wanted to finish second u idiot

[ilovevsboy25]

You can't just hold back a horse when he/she is ready and willing to run.

[jade12rei13]

i wish smarty jones had won... i wonder who will be the next winner of triple crown?

[cranker32]

That crash landing was caused by pilot error! Did Sean Elliot think he was on Secretariat? You have to relax him and save something for the end of a mile and a half!

[Belmontclan2682]

wow now that i look at it for the second time it almost makes me want to cry. cause the first time i was just in shock. he was just sooooooooooo close to winning it all.

[pleasantcolony]

Smarty Jones was one of the best to have not won the triple crown. I really thought he was going to do it. If he would have just relaxed around that first turn & settled to 3rd of 4th until the far turn he would have done it! This race still to this day hurts to watch!

[lengua92]

If Man O' War was defeated once, any horse can be defeated. However, i think that we all agree in the fact that that was the year. Smarty Jones was the horse. No Big Brown, no Afleet Alex, no Real Quiet, no Silver Charm, no Charismatic. Smarty Jones was the one that should have won the Triple Crown.

[KingKiaJames]

Lionheart is a great name for a horse.

[fudgigulizle]

I love smarty jones, and even though Birdstone has shown hes already a great sire and smart jones has yet to give us some big winners, i do not like Birdstone.

[deedsy404]

Fuck Birdstone!!!!!

[Sight19]

Birdstone is Mine that Bird's Sire

[savannahhorseracer]

love racehorses!!!!

[wileyc0y0te]

awesome races

[pegasus4422662]

Smarty Jones is my favorite racehorse! (^_^)

[Curlinroxs]

So close to winning! Oh well, maybe next year!

[hanrattyator]

he was out to early...in the other two races they held him for as long as they could thats why he had such an acceleration...he was leading the pack for too long

[smartyjonesfan]

I love this combo of the triple crown races of Smarty, awesome work carlykaiser, hope you never take it down, Thx!!!

[BarnBum111]

how did smarty jones die

[carlykaiser]

He didn't

[kblasterbug]

yep he recently died very sad

[EJXD2]

@carlykaiser THough some might say his stallion career is dead

[pk2364]

memories of a nice triple crown run....for those who blame eliots ride in the belmont....take a look at how that guys career has gone since.....he did his best and was a victim of the pace scenario

[BigSleepyOx]

I loved Smarty Jones. His Preakness performance was stunning, but his Belmont race breaks my heart everytime I watch it (yet I'm drawn to it to watch it over and over, only to relive the disappointment). *cries*

[lengua92]

smkarty jones is my favourite horse race ever along with invasor...they are both awesome...they came from places we never thought the best horse races could come...and they became greats

[avagoodava]

Smarty Jones had the heart of heart of a true and valiant champion. That's what Big Brown lacked on Saturday, it wasn't a tough field, the hot day, deep course or steroid issue. BTW...didn't Smarty Jones have a fractured skull and his owners ride in a school bus to all the big races? I have the book on order at B&N...

[carlykaiser]

Smarty Jones fractured his skull early in his two year old year.

Funny Cide's owners rode in a school bus

[smartyjonesfan]

@carlykaiser Its truly amazing what Smarty did when you consider him having a fractured skull, hard to believe its been six years already, wow time flies.

[TheNemeson]

@carlykaiser You sure he didn't ride the "short bus" ?

Just kidding

[ILoveMyHorseGinger]

Poor Smarty Jones

[whupass95]

Raven, I'm inclined to agree, but one point: Alex Solis rode Rock Hard Ten in the 2004 Belmont. Gary Stevens did not have a mount in that race. Conspiracy? Maybe. Hell, Elliot's ride was no phi-beta-kappa. Tough one to watch.

[RavenRuled]

We were lucky to have Smarty Jones. Like Real Quiet I wasn't sure he'd get the longer races but he won the derby and preakness and I believed. Too bad Bailey/Stevens sacrificed their horses to spoil Smarty's chance because they couldn't handle Elliot winning a Triple Crown when they couldn't. There was no way they were going to win putting their horses in the position they did.

[Titanicheartshorses]

Oh man, the Belmont was so disappointing

[castlestar99]

thats a awesome video great job

[castlestar99]

u can here the croud cheer when he takes the lead on the backstretch

[jimmytwotimez]

I love smarty jones

[castlestar99]

Great Announcer "lionhart is all heart" "smarty jones is all out. great call

[lassetjus]

Great call by Tom Durkin... "the whip is out on smarty jones!"

[yomamadontdanz]

smarty jones wasnt ridden smartly

[legendkiller218]

Smarty would have made a great champion.Bailey and Solis threw the race on their horses just to spoil stewie elliot and smarty the crown. Bailey broke inside of smarty jones and took eddington back and sent him to the outside of smarty goin into the first turn while solis came up the inside on rock hard ten and put the squeeze on smarty. he was rank all the way down the backside and stewie had no choice but to let him go. The ride wasn't his fault at all, poor sportsmanship by the other riders.

[sidewalkcafe2007]

The stretch at Belmont is so long that it's dangerous to move too soon into the far turn, as the stretch is so lengthy. It isn't like at Pimlico where a sweeping move into the far turn is likely a winning move given the shorter stretch and the tighter turns. A great effort from both horses in this race.

Just my humble opinion.

[hbgcnn101]

Thank you for your good analysis of this aspect of the race. I do agree with you completely. I think that Elliot did move too soon, at least because he was not so familiar with the track, and I think while the connections had played everything perfectly until the lead up to Belmont, they got cagght up in the hoopla, and also Elliot did not get enough rides over the track in the days leading up to Belmont.

[hbgcnn101]

I also agree that I don't think there was an actual conspiarcy going on, it was just typical jockey tactics, butin the case of Bailey, yes, I also expected Eddington closer, but not to push those kinds of fractions early so much that he was completely gone at the end.

[hbgcnn101]

As I said, one of his very few out of the money finishes. This was truly a great race, both horses were great. What I love is that Smarty did not fold up, or finish out, and I think that is often forgotten by casual fans and lay people.

[hbgcnn101]

He got beat less than a length by one horse, EVER in the biggest race with top competition all around him (what a year this was for three year olds!), and thats a champion in my book.but as much as I say thi, this race was still the most devastating outcome I have ever personally felt in any sports event I ever watched, and it wasn't about the betting because I made out very well on smarty overall! I will never get over it, ever. Nor do I want to.

[saveus228]

I don't know how great those 3 year olds were. The BC Classic was dominated by older horses. Rock Hard Ten was green and then you got birdstone as the 2nd best 3 year old and he's hardly a vintage top 3 year old. Smarty was clearly better than the others.

[LiquorWreckedEm]

Agreed. Birdstone had some success, but he clearly wasnt a great horse. Not to take anything away from Smarty, but I dont think you could say that this was a stellar three year old crop like you could like 1991

[sidewalkcafe2007]

In my view, Elliott probably moved too soon with Smarty, and Birdstone (all out into the far turn) just had the momentum late. Smarty still ran a very strong race. Reminded me of Desormeaux's ride on Real Quiet in the Belmont back in 1998, where the horse was clearly moving best going into the turn, but Desormeaux moved too soon with the horse. In the final 1/16, he had nothing left, and Victory Gallop was able to catch him in a thrilling photo.

[sidewalkcafe2007]

I disagree with the notion that some sort of fix was in here as far as riders just to ruin Smarty Jones's chances in this race. Rock Hard Ten and Eddington were close the pace from the start. Given that Smarty Jones layed close in both the Derby and Preakness behind only Lion Heart, I would've expected more pace pressure in the Belmont, and that developed. Smarty Jones was a better horse than both of those.

[jhordanian]

I agree. There was no fix. Bailey and Solis had simply concluded that w/o Lion Heart to push Smarty early, the only chance their mounts had to win was to keep within range of Smarty early and turn it into a war of attrition. Afterall, both Eddington and Rock Hard Ten were true distance horses while Smarty had only a miler's pedigree. They thought that in a war of attrition, their big, strong, long-winded horses could wear down Smarty. They rode to win, and they should actually be congratulated.

[loser504]

Why would you congratulate them? First you say they made a decision of "attrition" which obviously didnt work and second....THEY LOST!!! So you congratulate Bailey and Solis all you want but i tip my hat to Prado. HE rode the right race!!

[saveus228]

they rode to win, not to be 2nd. that's what you congratulate them for. In racing, the great ones don't ride to be 2nd

[BE109]

First of all,let me give Birdstone credit,he went out and ran a race. But I always found it strange that Prado,Zito,and Whitney were so overly apologetic? I have said already what I think happened as far as Bailey and Solis are concerned. I don't know if Prado was in on it,but those interviews right after the race were very strange. I've read Servis pulled Elliot back,because he was furious about what happened in the race. Of course to the media they took the high road. I know something went on

[hbgcnn101]

I don't think they should change the rules and I don't think the race was unfair, I just love smarty for taking on all the challenges and fighting right to the last furlong of his last race, and i'tll tell you one thing for sure. He ran like a champion. He beat all the others in that race, on that day the circumstances beat him, just barely

[smartyjonesfan]

I agree with your post's "hbqcnn101" for the most part, if I could change a rule it would be a horse would have to finish in the top three in the K-Derby to be eligible to run in the Belmont IF the horse skipped the Preakness. But I have written before that Birdstone did earn the victory, it just came at Smarty's expense.

[jhordanian]

If a horse were to when the Triple Crown w/ such a rule, how could he(she) be compared to the previous Triple Crown winners that did not have such a rule for their benefit? The Belmont should continue to be an "open" race for 3 year olds.

[hbgcnn101]

Also, while not illegal, Jerry Bailey's tactics on Eddington were disgusting, he burnt his horse out trying to run Smarty into the ground. Eddington finished out of the money for one of the very few times in his career, and the connectons threw Bailey off the horse after that. Alex Solis did the same thing with Rock Hard Ten.

[hbgcnn101]

In Smarty's defense, lets remember that...Birdstone finished 8th in the Derby and then did not run in the Preakenss, he was fresh for the race, and in the end Smarty only lost to one horse, Birdstone, by one length.

[phantom2921]

I hope his foals will be as great as him. I do think though, that in a match race, Smarty would definately show Barbaro up.However, against Ruffian, it's a tough call.Had he been held back longer in the Belmont, he would have won.

[apajax6]

GO, little Birdy, GO!!!!!!

[RidingWithRuffian]

thanks for posting this. i remember watching this when i was only in 4th grade. i was so dumb at the time because i thought triple crown winners occured often (my family knows nothing about horse racing). it wasnt until the next month that i found that it was rare. it makes it more valiable to win. smarty just wasnt the one. unfortunatly we'll have to wait to see the next triple crown.

[passion4horseracing]

aww i wish he wouldve won so badly hes such a great horse. i cried after he lost =[[

[AllieAddis]

I remember watching this race on TV at my grandparents house when I was 12.

We all wanted Smarty to win.

When the race ended, we all cried.

haha.

I remeber saying if I was Birdstone's jockey, I would have let Smarty win.

But my gransma said thats life, and all people care about is money.

Which is partially true.

[jasoncoc]

Smarty Jones stands at stud at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Kentucky, and currently occupies the same stall that housed Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew throughout his stud career until his recent death.

His first foals were born in 2006, and will likely begin racing mid- 2008 or early 2009. I hope his kids kick some ass and win a TC for him.

[jasoncoc]

On July 27, 2003, Servis was schooling Smarty at the starting gate, when he spooked, reared up, and smashed his head on the top of the gate. He fell to the ground unconscious, blood pouring from his nostrils. Servis thought he was dead. He was diagnosed with a fractured skull. The bones around his left eye were so badly damaged that the veterinarians thought they might have to remove the eye. Smarty Jones overcame his injuries after a mere three weeks in the hospital, and the rest is history.

[chuchupogi]

Smarty Jones will always be a triple crown winner in my book.

[FireGirlG]

I cringe every time I watch the Belmont stretch run, always hoping that the outcome will be different. So close, less than a length away. Ah well, we still love ya Smarty!

[jasoncoc]

My sentiments exactly FireGirG!!!

[GallantFox1930]

Aw, Smarty....

[rangerdgd1]

Great Video...

[jediknightjohnny123]

i met edgar prado, and prado even told me smarty was ridden wrong, and that was the plan to beat him. gary stevens, and jerry bailey sacrificed their horses to make smarty throw it. the first half mile was goin good, and even when smarty hit the lead, not wise, but its ok, but as soon as smarty opened up that 4 length lead at the 3 furlong pole, that was a bad move. smarty was all outts steam because he used it all up gaining that 4 length lead. had he been ridden correct, smarty wouldve won

[dolcevitausa]

I forgot how much I like this little horse...it would have been interesting to see what he could have done as a four year old

[Rodney81818]

Smarty Jones is an Awesome Race Horse. Excellent Video

[MikePike5]

I try to finish second with birdstone. But i made the upset. I won the belmont. Smarty jones was second. I felt ashamed for myself. Susan got me out.

[PVTSolis]

I remember that Belmont so clearly because it was so amazing.  I think the name Birdstone will faintly echo to me for the rest of my life.

[loser504]

Smarty Jones is probably the best horse in the past 10 years or so. Birdstone won because he was fresh. Racing 3 times in five weeks in hard. Thats what makes this a real test.Thats also what a great horse needs todo to prove he is the absolute best, that he can beat a horse off a 5 week layoff.

[jasoncoc]

I think you have a good point of view on the subject, it would have been a great storybook ending to one of the great horses of our time if he could have held on and won, I think Tom Dirkin did an awesome job of calling those 3 races too, it seemed like he wanted Smarty to win to.

[jasoncoc]

The way Birdstone flew by Eddington and Rock Hard Ten, it's a wonder that Smarty was able to hold him off as long as he did and also in the final stretch Eddington looked like a galloping camel didn't it?

[jasoncoc]

This a great collection of the triple crown races.

Smarty Jones should have been the twelfth TC winner, but that's what happens when horses are allowed to skip the Preakness and have extra resting time for the Belmont. Everyone thinks Stewart Elliot started to early or whatever, but only Birdstone past him, no other horse was even close and it just happened to the horse that skipped the Preakness that was able to beat Smarty, which I think was a lot of BS!!!

[apajax6]

GO BIRDSTONE!

[funnycideoflife]

uggg its so depressing 2 watch that race i was there and i along with everyone else was crying u have never seen a racetrack go from screaming 2 silent like that it was so horrible y couldn't edgar prado pull him up b/c he thought that he was injured even though he wasnt o well im rooting 4 nicanor in 2009

[dolphinluv212]

I agree. I was SCREAMING at the television for Smarty. I think Prado useed up too much energy on the backstretch rather then waiting for the final turn.

[funnycideoflife]

edgar prado was riding birdstone not smarty jones stewart elliot was riding but stewart elliot did move 2 soon

[KeeFe4]

i was 7at the belmost not to bet just to watch it was a great race

[BDavis820]

Oh man, that was a great montage up until the end. I lived Smarty's triple crown, it was my first, second and third horse race and the most amazing experience of my life. But watching the Belmont, I still can't watch the final furlong, it's heartbreaking. I was there and it was devastating. Never has this city taken a sports loss so hard. That damn Philly curse.

[RazzMatazzFreak]

Smarty was ana amzing horse!I cried when he lost the Triple Crown.

[racingislife2]

I remember when i watched the Belmont in 2004 and i was screaming at the TV because i knew Smarty Jones was let out too early, i think he might have been able to hold the lead if he hadn't of been let out that early. He ran well considering, though.

[joeschmo03]

I had $600 to win on Smarty Jones in the Belmont (I won $700 in the Derby and Preakness.) I didn't even care about the money it was just so sad that he didn't win the triple crown. I thought I had picked the triple crown winner in all three races. That would have been the ultimate handicapping accomplishment.

[lopper33]

I seriously went into minor depression went Birdstone passed Smarty at the end there.

[ghostzapper2006]

Birdstone won simply because of the pace and the fact the jocks put constant pressure on Smarty. Also, Eliot did not run a very wise tactical race. He picked it up with Smarty far too early. Had he simply been a bit more patient and used his horses natural stalking capabilities he'd have won with ease. Birdy simply plodded to victory.

[jrandmiller]

ditto...the triple c. makes 'em crazy...how many times have we seen the potential t.c. winners blow it tactically at belmont? daresay even turcotte, but he had the greatest horse in the world underneath to bail him out

[khnync]

I tell you I am a HUGE sports fan and I thoroughly enjoyed this montage! I swear I thought Smarty Jones was going to win the Belmont to win the Triple Crown in 2004 but the jockey riding Smarty was not putting the whip out enough in the final furlong to want to beat Grindstone for some insane reason. Thanks!!!

[streetsense07]

Birdstone ;)

[scrawneypaledude]

What happened to that horse at the rear of the field on the home stretch? Just kinda wandered off. Hope he wasnt injured.

[carlykaiser]

Quinton's Gold Rush. He always had breathing problems. He later died in Januray 2005, after surgery to remove a tumor.

[scrawneypaledude]

Thank you. Peace.

[Tickettack]

I get goosebumps everytime I watch the '04 Derby.

[boogiewitstu]

I'm a Philly sports fan so I've seen a lot of dissappointment in my day but I don't know if I've ever been so down at the end of an event. Watching him begin to pull away down the stretch only to see Birdstone blow by him at the last second was as deflating as anything I've ever felt.

[seggymon]

you have to hand it to birdstone...he just wanted it more...too bad for smarty though

[missfork]

I was at Belmont that day. I got there real early and never went inside and paid admission. I wanted to stand near the 1/4 pole and watch the 12th Triple Crown Winner turn for home. So here are my observations: during the Post Parade I watched Smarty Really closely and I beleive the Horse was rank. I don't know if he was nervous or he sensed the nervousness of Elliot but he did'nt seem quit right. Anyway those are my thoughts lets hope 2007 is the Year!

[k7m4]

i have to say that smarty was ridden wrong, as soon as i saw that move and the end of the turn, i thought he was being given more of a test than he should have. smarty would of had more left if he didnt have that huge lead when he didnt need to.

[tjjlm]

i was at the belmont that day and ive never heard 130,000 people go from so loud to so quiet so fast.smarty was a great horse for his time and if he had a different jockey that day he would have won that race. there was no way the other jockeys like bailey and prado were gonna let a bum like elliot win that day. they baited him and he fell for it because he never raced at belmont before that day and he made his move much too soon.

[AwsiDooger]

The 2004 Belmont was the only race I ever lost my voice, while rooting for Birdstone. I had a big bet in Las Vegas that Smarty Jones would not win the Belmont, taking nice odds.

Plus I simply could not have taken the inane comparisons of Smarty Jones to Seattle Slew, which would have nee inevitable of both were unbeaten Triple Crown champs.

No excuse for Smarty, with a 48.65 opening half mile. He "ran" the final quarter in more than 27 seconds.

[jediknightjohnny123]

actually i have to agree with lilphil. when you run a horse to fast they get tired too fast. stewart elliot did run smarty too fast. he should not have openes up to that 4 length lead because that took alot of energy out of smarty. he should have let rock hard 10 lead the way, then duel it out with birdstone on the stretch. it was clear that smarty was run too fast. birdstone won because he was trailig the whole race until the stretch, like jazil and afleet alex.

[DanielSong39]

Let's give some credit to Birdstone; a talented horse on his favorite racetrack - and ran a huge one that day. He would prove his class in the Travers by soundly defeating Cliff's Edge.

Smarty was simply the second best horse that day. Elliot did the right thing by letting him run instead of fighting the horse and tiring the horse out that way. The track was rock-hard that day, and 2:00 4/5 was NOT an unreasonable time for the 1 1/4.

[shmemily8]

This little horse loved to run. I miss watching him tear a hole in the wind. Thanks for this video Carly!

[keeyaaw]

this still breaks my heart. I lived 5 minutes away from where smarty lived. bensalem right outside philly. servis lived across from my development. tough run, man. that was a tough race. he didn't even win horse of the year. that horse excited all of horse racing and an entire nation. good show, smarty. go forth and breed. RIP Barbaro.

[n5scobel]

Smarty Jones is basically the shit

[bgardiner2000]

I think the ride in the Belmont was atrocious. Why didn't Lionheart run in the Belmont? Because it was too much for him. That's why the best horses don't necessarily win triple crowns. The hoop should have really nursed him through the first half of the race instead of breezing four/ five wide. He obviously had far too many gears for those, why would you turn it into a war of atrition? If it had of been mine I would have been furious.

[IWExcelsiorE]

When I saw the 2004 Belmont I was like "C'MON! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

[apajax6]

Go Birdstone!!!!

[smadonna]

The triple crown still could have happened in 2004 if it was not for Jerry Bailey and his "spoiler" ride on Eddington. I don't think he wanted another jockey from his era winning the Triple Crown from his era when he did not. You have to respect him for his entire career, but I will always feel bitter towards him about his ride in the 2004 Belmont.

[cf1970]

What a shame Smarty didn't win the triple crown. If only he had settled on the backstretch, he would have run away coming down the stretch. He was such a terrific horse. Thanks for posting this Carly.

[rebecca11391]

ug this is so depressing..especially if your from philadelphia (like me) i was actually there when smarty jones won his first maiden race as a 2 year old..and when he won the kentucky derby i dug out the racing form and I have it framed..but do u have to have the belmont? like no lie i cried when he lost...oh and a few corrections: smarty jones isnt that little...hes 15 3...which is sorta small but not small enough to be considered "little"

[carolyntl93]

AWESOME!