The Triple Crown, and Smarty Jones, can he do it?

CookingWithCarlo.com ^ | June 5 2005 | Carlo3b

[carlo3b]

The Triple Crown, and Smarty Jones, can he do it?

Move over Seabiscuit, we have Smarty Jones to keep us on the edge of our seats..
Saturday June 5, Smarty Jones could become only the second horse in history to have a shot at being an undefeated Triple Crown winner behind the fabulous Seattle Slew. Even the threat of rain can't dampen the excitement of the Belmont Stakes, as Smarty Jones goes for the whole enchilada, the coveted Triple Crown.

The Triple Crown is comprised of three annual horse races: the Kentucky Derby (held on the first Saturday in May), the Preakness Stakes (held on the third Saturday in May), and the Belmont Stakes (held on the second Saturday in June).

Though all of the races were established in the late 1800s, the notion of the Triple Crown wasn't conceived until 1930, the year Gallant Fox claimed the honor. The title wasn't official, however, until very recently. In 1987, the three race tracks created the Triple Crown Challenge and offered a $5 million bonus to any horse that won all three races.

It's no easy feat for a horse to win the Triple Crown. To date, only 11 horses have managed it. They are:

• Sir Barton (1919)

• Gallant Fox (1930)

• Omaha (1935)

• War Admiral (1937)

• Whirlaway (1941)

• Count Fleet (1943)

• Assault (1946)

• Citation (1948)

• Secretariat (1973)

• Seattle Slew (1977)

• Affirmed (1978)

Seventeen horses have come close, winning the Derby and the Preakness, only to miss their shot by blowing the Belmont.
Sadly, Seattle Slew, the only undefeated Triple Crown champion, died May 08, 2002, on the 25th anniversary of his triple crown victory, at the ripe old age of 28. Now that he is gone, there are no Triple Crown champions are still living.

What happens if...
IF a colt like Smarty Jones wins the Kentucky Derby and The Preakness it causes such a stir on the general public and the racing industry, you should see what it does to breeding farms and stallion managers. Everyone, I mean everyone in the thoroughbred breeding business wants to have the next hot stallion prospect, and nothing is hotter than classic performance and the promise of a Triple Crown...

The hot competition among the leading thoroughbred breeding farms for the season's best prospects is typically so intense that many farms have spend gazillions on young horses, without any racing records, when they were just 2 year-olds, and IF a horse connected to that bloodline wins the Kentucky Derby with his breeding future still undecided, there is a wild rush of speculation and activity around the new classic winner, and every possible bloodline connection..

That is already happening in the case of Smarty Jones. This dynamic colt's victory in the Derby impressed breeders more than some of the handicappers, and some farms approached his owners, Pat and Roy Chapman, and their representatives after the first classic. His dashing victory in the Preakness, however, made everyone a believer..

Nothing brings that story home to me any more than what happened to me when a maverick horse, John Henry won the worlds richest horse race at the time, the Arlington Million, and as such the Horse Of The Year, for a second time.. I just happened to be at Arlington Park racetrack on the day it happened. John Henry with ham-bones for knees and crazy as heck, was the emotional favorite to win the race.. and win he did, he won in convincing fashion.

He was already a racing legend because of his unconventional breeding, unusual physique and old age.. truly a storybook ending.. That day, he became the highest earning horse in history, and trust me, everyone became a believer about him as well. The only problem was, John Henry was a gelding (meaning, castrated.. gulp) so how could anyone benefit from his breeding? This posed a dilemma, or as I saw it, an opportunity, so I thought.

John Henry's sire, (his father), Ole Bob Bowers, was an unknown, undistinguished, and unruly stallion (understated), standing at a hayseed horse farm in rural Michigan. We jumped into our truck before the shouting was over and I was the first to reach the farm with a horse trailer and more money than horse sense. First I tried to buy the stallion, but after an all day haggling session, we agreed on a price but I was saved because we couldn't get the lunatic stallion out of the barn and into my trailer.. so I did the next best thing.. I bought all of the broodmares that were bred to him, in hopes of finding a diamond-in-the-rough.

I sold a partnership in almost every horse before I got them out of my trailers.. All of those foals eventually won at least one race, but none lived up to the promise, most should have been sued for breach of promise... I guess it was worth the emotional roller coaster ride.. sigh....... but  I digress..

IF, barring some unforeseen circumstance, Smarty Jones wins it all, he yields his owners and breeders a larger return as a stallion prospect, he offers much more than he could hope to win on the racetrack. With the promise of becoming the next Triple Crown champion, his value has been placed at upwards of $30 million, according to industry insiders.

GOOD LUCK SMARTY JONES, we're pulling for ya..

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

I think he will. He is such a standout. It's exciting !!!!!

[carlo3b]

go to your local racetrack and watch, listen and experience the crowd as the race (being broadcast) goes off.

Great Idea, I may just grab one or two of my kids and go to the track this afternoon. We'll eat some greasy food and bask in the sunshine.. until Post time, about 5:30.. Any other Houston Freepers want to be takers? . . :)

[carlo3b]

How does Smarty Jones and Master David sound for an exacta bet????

Whoa.. bets? Can you bet on them as well??.. LOLOLOL.. That combo has a shot, but with Smarty's short odds, it will only bring you a few dimes back for the thrill..
I don't bet, I am much too bright for that I only used to feed and cloth them and their worthless trainers.. ^$#^#&%^

[carlo3b]

If he is realllllly on, this horse could beat the Belmont Stakes track record held by BIG RED, the infamous Secretariat.. pulling away.. We will soon see.. It is exciting..

[dakine]

I use to tell my kid I was taking him to the "zoo", to watch the pretty horses...worked every time...

[carlo3b]

I use to tell my kid I was taking him to the "zoo", to watch the pretty horses...worked every time...

My dad started me out really early.. He would pick me up from school and take me to the park, and my mom wouldn't get mad.. until she found our it was Sportsman's Park.. LOLOL

[carlo3b]

Has anyone watched the old movie "LET IT RIDE"? It will become one of your favorites. It's great because it is soooo close to the truth at the racetrack.. Rent-it, you'll love it!

[carlo3b]

Is anyone watching ESPN Belmont Racing.. the last 2 races were classic long-shots winning with class.. Not a good omen for a favorite in the Belmont Stakes later.. that is unless it's SMARTY JONES.. :)

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

that is unless it's SMARTY JONES.. :)

You've got that right.