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  #21  
Old 10-15-2006, 04:20 PM
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Revolution Revolution is offline
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Smarty. I am going to meet him in the spring.
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  #22  
Old 10-15-2006, 04:43 PM
Antitrust32 Antitrust32 is offline
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errr... I am still bitter against Bailey for that ride.

I was driving a friend to the airport this past Wednesday and he got a call from Mr Jerry Bailey while in my car. After he hung up I said, "I dont like Jerry and I will never like him after that ride in the Belmont causing Smarty Jones to lose the triple crown. He thought I was nuts for still being bitter, but I am from the PHILLY area and I will always be bitter... whether the Eagles or Smarty Jones...

Anywayz, both Smarty and Afleet Alex were the class of their triple crown division in their respective years. I would have been happy to have seen them both as TC winners, and I cant differenciate between one or the other because they both had bad trips on the races they lost an probably would both be TC winners if otherwise.
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  #23  
Old 10-15-2006, 05:42 PM
Danzig Danzig is offline
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well, smarty ran a game second in his tc loss, while alex was third in his....also, alex wasn't 'ganged up on' while smarty was...and then of course smarty won the biggest of the three. i think smarty was the better horse, never an off day in his two year (and too short) career.
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  #24  
Old 10-15-2006, 07:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Heather
Hi everyone

I've been lurking here for awhile but I finally got the urge to post something. I am a huge Smarty Jones fan and feel that he was without a doubt one of the most naturally talented racehorses that I have ever seen... So of course I would go with him when it comes to this question.

But I wanted to share a commentary about his Belmont that gives me chills every time I read it. It is exceptionally well written (if you ignore the 'little' error about Smarty being a product of the Northern Dancer line at the end ) - kind of 'puts you right there' - and it's a reminder of the incredible race that he ran. I agree with other posts I've seen here saying that the Belmont was his best race, and one of the best efforts by any racehorse that I've ever seen.

So here's that link and I hope you guys find it interesting:

http://www.sportsfiends.com/newsmana...=745&zoneid=26

great first post, Heather! Thanks for the article, too, it sure is a good one. Hope you enjoy the board.
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  #25  
Old 10-15-2006, 08:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bold Reasoning
ALYDAR I think he was far superior to the two good horses you named.
Good answer!

Smarty, the difference to me is he wanted it, Alex gave up in the Derby.
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  #26  
Old 10-15-2006, 08:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Heather
Hi everyone

I've been lurking here for awhile but I finally got the urge to post something. I am a huge Smarty Jones fan and feel that he was without a doubt one of the most naturally talented racehorses that I have ever seen... So of course I would go with him when it comes to this question.

But I wanted to share a commentary about his Belmont that gives me chills every time I read it. It is exceptionally well written (if you ignore the 'little' error about Smarty being a product of the Northern Dancer line at the end ) - kind of 'puts you right there' - and it's a reminder of the incredible race that he ran. I agree with other posts I've seen here saying that the Belmont was his best race, and one of the best efforts by any racehorse that I've ever seen.

So here's that link and I hope you guys find it interesting:

http://www.sportsfiends.com/newsmana...=745&zoneid=26
You might really enjoy this as well. My favorite article ever written in the sport as I was very wrapped up in the "Smarty Party". (scroll past the photos, my web browser left a large gap between paragraphs)

http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews...=40c58d8496a95
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  #27  
Old 10-15-2006, 08:48 PM
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Thunder Gulch Thunder Gulch is offline
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I'm going to go with the Smarty camp here. This was an undefeated animal who won most efforts by open lengths. Birdstone was a 3 time G1 winner and received the gift of the pace duel and Stewie's ride. Even with that, Smarty was 6 lengths clear of the 3rd.

That said, I think Alex would have won the Derby if he had stayed wider. The rail was dead all week at Churchill and Alex made his move down inside. Watch the tape when Rose reaches even terms with the other two inside the 1/8th pole. Rose goes with the right handed whip, Alex goes in a little and slows.
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  #28  
Old 10-15-2006, 08:56 PM
Samarta Samarta is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stevepopyak
I could be wrong but in 2004 Bailey lost his Derby mount when Wimbledon was scratched .... weren't there some last minute rumblings before the Derby about Bailey riding Smarty for the Triple Crown?
It didn't just happen in the Derby....Bailey tried to get on Smarty for the Preakness and then again up to 3 days prior to The Belmont...I think it was even mentioned on this site about how on one of the recent ESPN telecasts, Bailey mentioned and almost gloated about 2 recent potential triple crown winners being foiled in The Belmont by the tactics of rival jocks...As far as who was closer to the Triple Crown...well only one of them ever had a shot...nuff said imo....
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  #29  
Old 10-15-2006, 09:50 PM
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ateamstupid ateamstupid is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pmayjr
Yeah man I'm warning you. Some posters on this site will slay you for posting about hypotheticals. I posted before that even if nothing woulda happened to Barbaro in the Preakness, I think Bernardini would have beaten him that day.
This isn't really a hypothetical.. It's based on stuff that already happened, and is actually one of the smartest and most intriguing posts I've seen on here in a while.

Smarty was unfairly sabotaged in the Belmont, but Afleet Alex ran on a dead rail for most of the Derby, and they both missed the TC by just a length.

I'm gonna give Smarty the slight nod, because the circumstance that cost him the TC is a much more tangible than the one that cost 'Alex. While I don't dispute that the rail was dead that day at CD, who knows how much it cost him and HOW dead it was? Smarty, on the other hand, was clearly sabotaged and it certainly cost him the TC in my eyes.

Very good post.
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  #30  
Old 10-15-2006, 10:19 PM
repent repent is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ateamstupid
This isn't really a hypothetical.. It's based on stuff that already happened, and is actually one of the smartest and most intriguing posts I've seen on here in a while.

Smarty was unfairly sabotaged in the Belmont, but Afleet Alex ran on a dead rail for most of the Derby, and they both missed the TC by just a length.

I'm gonna give Smarty the slight nod, because the circumstance that cost him the TC is a much more tangible than the one that cost 'Alex. While I don't dispute that the rail was dead that day at CD, who knows how much it cost him and HOW dead it was? Smarty, on the other hand, was clearly sabotaged and it certainly cost him the TC in my eyes.

Very good post.

unfairly sabotaged?

Ive never heard of anything as ridiculous ateam.
the other jocks tried to do what they could to get him beat, but thats not unfair.
thats racing.
its not lke Zito or the whitneys paid off the other contestants.

He got beat by a better horse. A Travers winner.
no different than when VGallop beat RQuiet or when Touch Gold beat SCharm.


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  #31  
Old 10-15-2006, 10:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaHoss9698
Absolutely no way that Birdstone was better than Smarty. Bailey was mad, and was on a mission to make sure the horse he tried so hard to get on, was not a TC winner. Birdstone was no slouch, as his Travers showed, but I think it is crazy to say he was a better horse.
yap, yap, yap........................

same rhetoric the smarty party always uses, and they never say anything of substance.

The Stone and lucky jones met one time on a dry track,
and The Stone beat him.
lucky needed a wet track to beat him.

and Bailey would not lower himself to riding on that PA bred.
he had real horses to ride.


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  #32  
Old 10-15-2006, 11:02 PM
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NoCarolinaTony NoCarolinaTony is offline
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Why are we trying to even answer a question like this? It's history and it is what it is. Neither horse won the triple crown and both won two legs and fininshed in the money in the one leg that they missed.

It's already in the books.

Is the real question who was better Smarty Jones or Afleet Alex?

NC Tony
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  #33  
Old 10-15-2006, 11:03 PM
1st_Saturday_in_May 1st_Saturday_in_May is offline
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Just nod and pretend to agree with Repent You're not going to win this one with him, its been going on for a long time now and nothing has changed...
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  #34  
Old 10-15-2006, 11:03 PM
repent repent is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaHoss9698
So this babble was substance? Would the real horses Bailey had to ride be the ones that couldn't get within a sniff of Smarty? Your "substance" is that they met once on a dry track and beat him? Yeah he did, but I highly doubt you will find many sane people that will tell you Smarty wasn't best that day. His Belmont is the most courageous run I have ever seen, and like I said most sane people will tell you the same. Like I said, Birdstone was a pretty good horse, to win a Belmont and travers is a very good accomplishment. But he was not better than Smarty. And I would love for you to find people who agree with your stance.
I dont give 2 sh*ts if anyone agrees with me.

and that Belmont run was the most courageous you have seen?

lmao,
did you not see PEnsign's BC Distaff win?
how about any of Giants Causeway's wins during that incredible win streak?
or either one of Tiznow's BCC wins?
or Storm Flag Flying's BCJF win?

you see, all these horses WON.

lucky jones LOST.

if you want to talk about amazing performances in a losing effort,
check out Rock of Gibraltar's BCMile run.
or Falbrav's BCTurf loss.
or Swain's Dubai World Cup loss to Silver Charm.

all much more impressive performances and displays of "courage".



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  #35  
Old 10-15-2006, 11:04 PM
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ateamstupid ateamstupid is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NoCarolinaTony
Why are we trying to even answer a question like this? It's history and it is what it is. Neither horse won the triple crown and both won two legs and fininshed in the money in the one leg that they missed.

It's already in the books.

Is the real question who was better Smarty Jones or Afleet Alex?

NC Tony
LOL @ the hypocrisy of that.

It's in the books, but you want to know which one was "better"?

I think this is a much more interesting and productive thread, as "Who was closer to the TC?" is easier to define and less subjective than "Who was better?" Besides, we already have enough "Who's better than who" threads around here and they get nowhere.
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  #36  
Old 10-15-2006, 11:09 PM
repent repent is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1st_Saturday_in_May
Just nod and pretend to agree with Repent You're not going to win this one with him, its been going on for a long time now and nothing has changed...

to quote Ed Vedder,
nothing has changed but the surrounding bull sh*t, that has grown.




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  #37  
Old 10-15-2006, 11:22 PM
repent repent is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaHoss9698
You're right, I misspoke. It wasn't the most, but it was one of. Still doesn't give any creedence to your original nonsense. You can't back that up, and I'm done with this. No point wasting my time with a sore loser.
cant back what up?
that The Stone was better?
you are just p*sed b/c I can back that up.

almost every historically significant horse has won at Belmont Racetrack.
when did smarty jones do that?
the Stone did it, and more than once.

The Stone beat him when they met on a dry track.
the Stone went on to win the Travers, which is our country's best measuring stick of top class 3YOs.
look at the past winners.
the Travers winners are as impressive of a group as any 3YO race run in this country.
you can say that lucky jones was better.
hell, you can even believe it if you want to.
but the record shows us that The Stone beat him the last time they met and the one time they met on a dry track.
and from a historical perspective, its not even close.
The Stone rules over lucky jones.



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  #38  
Old 10-15-2006, 11:34 PM
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Afleet Alex was closer to winning the triple crown. If Jeremy Rose hadn't moved him to the *dead* Churchill rail, he probably would have won the Derby. He was much the best that day. I think he could have held off Giacomo closing on the outside. I like Giacomo, but I do think that on that day, Afleet Alex was the much better horse,,,just had ****ty racing luck. Which we all know is a huge part of the game.

Now, that being said, I think Smarty was a better horse. He was more deserving of the Triple Crown, but, the way the race set up, there was just NO WAY he beats Birdstone that day. Like many, I think it was because of the way he was double-teamed,,,,but I really can't take anything away from Birdstone on that day. And double-teaming is legal, just like running rabbits. I STILL cry big ole crocodile tears when I watch that Belmont replay. Actually, I have a real hard time watching it. Broke my heart!!

Suzanne
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  #39  
Old 10-15-2006, 11:39 PM
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King Glorious King Glorious is offline
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Easily Smarty. I don't think that Alex was the best horse in his loss. I thought Smarty was. I don't think it's even close. I felt that Smarty was 3x the horse Alex was, maybe more.
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  #40  
Old 10-15-2006, 11:56 PM
repent repent is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaHoss9698
I'll be nice, since you are relatively new to this sport. I mean you would have to be making some of those remarks. I defy you to find me one credible person that will tell you that Birdstone wasn't the recipient of a dream trip in the Belmont. I also defy you to find me one person that will tell you that Smarty wasn't better that day or any. I know you don't care who says what, but I have never heard one person say Birdstone was better than Smarty. If Birdstone didn't like the wet track like you are implying, it certainly didn't bother him in the Travers. Your claim that because Smarty never won at Belmont is something to hold against him is borderline retarded. He ran there once, and he hardly disgraced himself. I guess winning the Derby and Preakness is no big accomplishment. I find it funny that you can make historical comments while knowing very little of what you are talking about. From a historical perspective NO ONE will say birdstone was better, NO ONE. No one on here, or anywhere.
you are a freaking moron.

the Travers track was listed as "fast".
the rain came after the race that day.

but Im not even sayng The Stone hated an off track.
what I am saying is that the one time they met on a dry track, The Stone beat him.
new to the sport?
maybe, depends on perspective.
but the verification of your expertise relies on someone else, anyone else, agreeing with your opinion.
what the hell kind of sense does that make.
I oay the b*tch next door to say that Birdstone was a better horse.
that does not make it any more true or false.

and you want me to find a "credible" person to say that Birdstone was not the recipient of a "dream trip"?
what makes someone credible and what encompasses a dream trip?
does someone on this board with x amount of posts make them credible?
do they need to be a full time writer with the Daily Racing Form?
or can they be a degenerate at Manor Downs that i see when I stop by to pick up a form?


your position is full of holes and all the smarty party agreeing with you will not make it any stronger.

Birdstone got the right pace scenario he needed to be most effective on Belmont Stakes day.
so what?
it does not make his win any less valid than if smarty jones had won the race while getting an easy lead.

stop worrying about my experience within the game or my historical perspective.
they are not relevant to the argument at hand.

like I said, nothing has changed but the surrounding bullsh*t that has grown.
Ed was right on point with that one.



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