The People's Horses: Part III, Smarty Jones

The People’s Horses, part III
Smarty Jones

Joseph Di Rienzi

This is the third of a series that highlights the racing careers of horses who rose from modest backgrounds to startling success and, in doing so, captured the imagination of racing fans. Previously (in parts I and II), I discussed Carry Back and Funny Cide, respectively. Here, I will examine the racing career of the pride of Pennsylvania – Smarty Jones.

Everything about the diminutive chestnut colt’s beginning seemed like an old Hollywood movie. The owners of Someday Farm, Pat and Roy Chapman, were in the process of downsizing their small breeding operation in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Their trainer had been murdered, and Mr. Chapman was suffering from a debilitating illness. They kept only two horses, one of which was Smarty Jones, a foal of 2001. He was a son of the speedy Mr. Prospector stallion, Elusive Quality, out of the mare I’ll Get Along. Given to regional trainer John Servis, Smarty Jones suffered a severe injury schooling at a starting gate in July 2003, fracturing his skull. First fearing for his life and then the use of his left eye, his connections saw the colt make a miraculous recovery and be able to resume training a few months later. Making his debut in a state bred race in November at Philadelphia Park, he cruised to a 7¾ length win under local rider Stewart Elliot who would be aboard “Smarty” throughout his mercurial career. Entered in the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes, the chestnut son of Elusive Quality streaked to a 15 length victory in time so fast for the 7 furlong race that observers all over the country took notice. As the new year turned, Servis raced Smarty Jones in open company in the Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack, but the result was the same, a clear victory, this time by 5 lengths.

Resisting multiple offers to sell Smarty Jones, the Chapmans realized that Someday Farm had finally reached “the day”.  Escaping the cold weather, Servis sent his trainee to Oaklawn Park to run in their sophomore stakes races culminating in the Arkansas Derby. (An added inducement was that the racetrack had initiated a bonus of $5 million for any horse who won their Rebel Stakes, Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby.)

Smarty Jones thrived in the comforts of Hot Springs. He won in succession the Southwest Stakes by ¾ of a length, the Rebel Stakes over the highly regarded Purge by 3¼ lengths and finally the climactic Arkansas Derby by 1½ lengths, setting the Someday Farm color bearer up to win the $5 million bonus if he could capture the Kentucky Derby. Analysts were suspicious of the compact colt’s facility at the 1¼ mile Derby distance, but there was no denying Smarty Jones’s ability to keep winning.

The discussions leading up to the 130^th Kentucky Derby all emphasized how wide open the race appeared. Of the eighteen that made it to the starting gate, several seemed to have a good chance. There was, of course, the undefeated, charismatic Smarty Jones, top 2003 juveniles Lion Heart and Action This Day, Blue Grass Stakes winner The Cliff’s Edge, his stablemate Birdstone (who had won last year’s Champagne Stakes) and the Wood Memorial victor Tapit. An upset possibility was accorded to Borrego who had finished a closing second in both the Louisiana and Arkansas Derbies. Few of the veteran handicappers picked Smarty Jones to win, despite a brilliant 5 furlong workout a week before the Derby, thinking he would be unsuited for the 1¼ mile distance and be used up in a speed duel with Lion Heart. However, the betting public disagreed with the analysts and made the Someday Farm representative the favorite over, respectively, Lion Heart and Tapit.

After rain on Friday and Saturday morning, the track seemed to be drying out when a severe thunderstorm hit the Churchill Downs area about two hours before the Derby turning the surface into a sea of slop. The running of the race over a track few could handle was very elemental. Mike Smith gunned Lion Heart from his no. 3 post to the lead, and by the time the field reached the backstretch, he was 2 lengths in front. Stewart Elliot also hustled Smarty Jones from the start to get position around the clubhouse turn. Heading down the backstretch, Smarty Jones was in second tracking Lion Heart. Around the far turn, Smarty went up to engage Lion Heart, and from the distance separating them from the rest of the field, it was clear that the Derby was between the two front runners. After a brief duel, Smarty Jones drew clear for an authoritative 2¾ length victory. Lion Heart held second by 3¼ lengths over Imperialism. The Cliff’s Edge rallied somewhat to finish fifth while Action This Day was sixth. Birdstone finished eighth, and Tapit, who made a brief move around the far turn, faltered to be ninth. Borrego finished tenth. Despite fast early fractions, the final time was slow, attesting to the difficult track conditions.

Smarty Jones winning the 2004 Kentucky Derby
(Associated Press photo)

It was an all PA based group in the winner’s circle. Owners Pat and Roy Chapman enjoyed their unbelievable success while John Servis and Stewart Elliot proved that good training and solid riding are not restricted to the major racing centers. In addition, the victory by this appealing colt, the first undefeated winner of the Kentucky Derby since Seattle Slew in 1977, resulted in the $5 million bonus award. However, the connections, although enjoying their achievement, were thinking ahead to the Preakness Stakes and a possible Triple Crown bid.

By Preakness time, the racing world was on fire with Smarty Jones mania. He had quickly become the most popular thoroughbred in decades (or, at least, since Funny Cide the previous year). The little colt “who could” faced nine rivals in the “Middle Jewel”.  Included were Derby holdovers (Lion Heart, Imperialism, Borrego and Song of the Sword). The rest were newcomers to the classic, and the two that drew the most attention were lightly raced colts who had insufficient earnings to start in the Derby. Eddington was a robust son of Unbridled who had a single race as a two-year-old but showed promise as a sophomore finishing third in the Gotham Stakes and a close second in the Wood Memorial Stakes. An additional asset was the riding services of Jerry Bailey. The other was the leggy Rock Hard Ten, a dark hued son of Kris S. who had only three 2004 starts to his resume. After a maiden and allowance win at Santa Anita, he finished second in the Santa Anita Derby, but his disqualification to third place cost him a Derby spot. In the Preakness, he also had a big race jockey in Gary Stevens who flew in from a riding stint in France.

Despite the intrigue of these newcomers and the back form of some of his Derby rivals, the Preakness was a tour de force for Smarty and Stewart Elliot. The Derby winner broke fastest, but Elliot took back on his colt when Mike Smith drove Lion Heart for the lead. Elliot even allowed Smith to fan Smarty Jones wide around the clubhouse turn while maintaining his position nearest the front runner. Approaching the far turn, Smith kept his colt wide daring Elliot to steer his mount inside of him. Accepting the offer, Elliot chirped to Smarty, and the response was immediate as the chestnut opened up on his rival. Leaving all in his wake, Smarty Jones sauntered down the stretch for an 11½ length victory, a record margin for the Preakness. Rock Hard Ten gained second by 2 lengths over Eddington who out finished a tired Lion Heart by a head for third place. As Smarty crossed the finish line, race caller Tom Durkin exclaimed, “The Philadelphia Story continues”. Indeed, Smarty Jones’ utter domination of his foes, both new and old, convinced many who were previous skeptics of this horse’s superiority and the likelihood of his winning the Triple Crown. 

When the Belmont Stakes arrived, there was a frenzy of Smarty Jones fandom. It seemed the whole racing world wanted this miracle story to have a resoundingly happy ending. A record crowd of over 120,000 were at Belmont Park hopeful of witnessing racing history. In the nine horse field that assembled for the final classic, most of the field had already been beaten by Smarty Jones. Eddington and Rock Hard Ten returned for another try. Purge whom Smarty had defeated twice in Arkansas had recently won the 9 furlong Peter Pan Stakes. Nick Zito entered two: Birdstone (at odds 36-1), who had skipped the Preakness and classic neophyte Royal Assault (at 27-1). The one doubt that was raised about Smarty Jones’ invincibility was his jockey’s unfamiliarity with the Belmont track configuration, particularly its long sweeping turns.

As in the Preakness, Smarty Jones broke well and went up to contest the early pace set by Purge with Rock Hard Ten and longshot Caiman; the four spread out across the track. As the field raced down the long Belmont backstretch, Alex Solis on Rock Hard Ten made an early move along the inside to join Smarty Jones in challenging Purge’s lead as Caiman dropped back. Meanwhile, Jerry Bailey had Eddington looming on the outside close behind. With a ½ mile to the finish, Smarty Jones gained the advantage, pursued intently by Rock Hard Ten and Eddington as Purge gave way. The early fractions were moderate, but the pace did not slow down as the field headed for the far turn. Elliot gave Smarty his cue, and the colt spurted to a lengthy lead as the crowd roared with visions of a Secretariat-like runaway. However, Edgar Prado riding Birdstone had the son of Grindstone in full flight from mid-pack, slowly closing the gap on Smarty. Even at the top of the stretch, Smarty Jones appeared to have a safe margin, but inside the 1/8 mile pole, he became leg weary as Birdstone finally caught him and passed the dual classic winner for a 1 length victory. Smarty Jones finished 8 lengths in front of the other Zito entry, Royal Assault. Smarty’s early competitors all finished well back: Eddington (fourth), Rock Hard Ten (fifth), Caiman (eighth) and Purge (ninth). The final time was good indicating that the first two under the wire ran strong races.

The post-race scene at Belmont Park was once again muted. Even Birdstone’s winning connections, owner Marylou Whitney, Nick Zito and Edgar Prado were apologetic about spoiling the Triple Crown attempt. The Whitney name has been long associated with the classics. Birdstone’s Belmont victory was the seventh that was owned by a family member beginning with Tanya in 1905. Nick Zito completed a personal Triple Crown having won the Derby twice (Strike the Gold and Go for Gin) and the Preakness (Louis Quatorze) previously. Edgar Prado already had been associated with the denial of a Triple Crown in guiding Sarava to an upset win in 2002 as War Emblem’s bid faltered. In the end, Smarty’s family took the defeat with class and humility, accepting the fates of thoroughbred racing. Their colt had galvanized the nation’s attention, and there were many cherished memories to savor.

After the Belmont Stakes, Smarty was given a respite. Presumably preparing for a summer and fall campaign, the Chapmans sold 50% of the breeding rights of Smarty Jones to Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Kentucky. As seen with other stallion prospects, this is not a good sign for the particular horse’s extended racing career. Anticipating a start before his hometown fans in the Pennsylvania Derby in August, it was announced that due to chronic bruising of his cannon bone, Smarty Jones would be retired, denying all the thrill of seeing this exciting horse run again.

Despite Birdstone’s later victory in the Travers Stakes, Smarty Jones was voted the Champion Three-Year-Old Male, but he lost Horse of the Year honors to the lightly raced four-year-old Ghostzapper. Smarty’s career totals 8 wins and 1 second (the Belmont Stakes) in 9 starts and earnings over $7.6 million.

The ebb and flow of a stallion’s career is no better illustrated than the history of Smarty Jones. Syndicated for some $39 million and beginning his stallion duties in Kentucky in 2005, he initially stood for a stud fee of $100,000 per foal. After Smarty’s first few crops did not produce significant runners, his owner Pat Chapman in 2010 moved him back to his home state of Pennsylvania where he stood for as low as $4,000. Convinced he was still a viable stallion, Chapman in 2016 made a deal with the present owner of historic Calumet Farm to move Smarty Jones back to Kentucky. However, after spending two years shuttling during the North American breeding off-season to Uruguay for stallion duty, he was brought back to Pennsylvania in 2018 where Smarty currently abides at Equistar Farm in Annville at a stud fee of $3,500. Truly an international sire, his sons and daughters have won races in the U.S., Singapore, Japan and Uruguay.