SWC75
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2004: Smarty Jones
A year after Funny Side, along came Smarty Jones, a horse given a name that had been an nickname for the owner’s strong-willed mother. The owners were Pat Chapman and her husband Roy. The trainer was John Servis and the jockey Stewart Elliot. The Chapmans had originally hired Bobby Carnac to train the horse but he was murdered by his mentally disturbed stepson. In addition to that shock, Roy Chapman’s health was fading and they felt the need to close down their operation except for four horses, one of them being Smarty Jones and to move into a smaller house to get money to pay for Roy’s and Smarty’s care. Then Smarty hit his head in a starting gate accident, was knocked unconscious and went into shock. Then his head swelled up: he’d fractured his eye socket.
But, somehow he recovered completely and everyone’s luck began to change. He came back to win three races as a two year old, the last by 15 lengths with the fastest time of any two year old of his generation. He continued his streak right into the 2004 Kentucky Derby, becoming the first unbeaten Derby winner since Seattle Slew. It was the first Derby appearance, much less winner for the owners, the trainer and the jockey as well as the horse. Smarty won by almost three lengths, only the second horse from Pennsylvania to ever win the Derby. He then crushed the Preakness field by 11 ½ lengths, the largest margin ever. It seemed we were finally going to have the 12th Triple Crown winner. Smarty Jones became a national sensation, increasing attendance at the Belmont by 17,000 and TV ratings to the highest level in 14 years. Bids for breeding rights were reaching up to $50 million.
At the Belmont, he ran a mile and a quarter in a time that would have won all but 3 Kentucky Derbys in history. But this was the Belmont and he was caught from behind for the first time in his life by a 36-1 shot named Birdstone. He was subsequently retired due to chronic bruising of ankle bones. His career record was 8-1-0 in nine races. Because he’d won a huge bonus offered for winning the Rebel Strakes, the Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby, he had career earnings of $7.6 million.
A year after Funny Side, along came Smarty Jones, a horse given a name that had been an nickname for the owner’s strong-willed mother. The owners were Pat Chapman and her husband Roy. The trainer was John Servis and the jockey Stewart Elliot. The Chapmans had originally hired Bobby Carnac to train the horse but he was murdered by his mentally disturbed stepson. In addition to that shock, Roy Chapman’s health was fading and they felt the need to close down their operation except for four horses, one of them being Smarty Jones and to move into a smaller house to get money to pay for Roy’s and Smarty’s care. Then Smarty hit his head in a starting gate accident, was knocked unconscious and went into shock. Then his head swelled up: he’d fractured his eye socket.
But, somehow he recovered completely and everyone’s luck began to change. He came back to win three races as a two year old, the last by 15 lengths with the fastest time of any two year old of his generation. He continued his streak right into the 2004 Kentucky Derby, becoming the first unbeaten Derby winner since Seattle Slew. It was the first Derby appearance, much less winner for the owners, the trainer and the jockey as well as the horse. Smarty won by almost three lengths, only the second horse from Pennsylvania to ever win the Derby. He then crushed the Preakness field by 11 ½ lengths, the largest margin ever. It seemed we were finally going to have the 12th Triple Crown winner. Smarty Jones became a national sensation, increasing attendance at the Belmont by 17,000 and TV ratings to the highest level in 14 years. Bids for breeding rights were reaching up to $50 million.
At the Belmont, he ran a mile and a quarter in a time that would have won all but 3 Kentucky Derbys in history. But this was the Belmont and he was caught from behind for the first time in his life by a 36-1 shot named Birdstone. He was subsequently retired due to chronic bruising of ankle bones. His career record was 8-1-0 in nine races. Because he’d won a huge bonus offered for winning the Rebel Strakes, the Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby, he had career earnings of $7.6 million.
