Smarty Jones Classic

[Samarta]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

There are two things I know for sure.....it was obscenely crowded and the attendance figure was fabricated. If it makes you happy to not believe me then feel free to go right ahead.

I hope you were able to find something else of interest in the thread, and considering the foolishness you spouted recently about Round Pond, which you never revisited after she lost, I am surprised you have the gall to pursue this ridiculous argument with me. On the other hand....very little surprises me with some posters here.

She lost....was there much else to say? It doesn't take away the fact that she is very very nice horse. I'm not really sure what I was supposed to say? Oh I know....I was so wrong everything I ever said about her and was completely out of line....gimme a break....

I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong about anything...I was simply trying to understand your comments on phony fans and how smarty wasn't good for the industry. So you can throw out the insults, that's fine, but I was simply trying to understand your comments.

[Linny]

I haven't read all this but why does anyone care of a PA Bred race is being named after one of the most notable PA breds of recent vinatge?

As far as calling it a "classic" well the Sunshine Millions Classic was so named it's first year, as was the BC Classic and the Empire Classic. "Classic" has come to imply a race for 3+ usually at 9f featuring the best within it's category.

As far as naming races for people, why not? Laz deserves a race. I have no idea who Harrison Johnson or Leonard Richards or Robert Carpenter are but they all have races. I would be idiotic to imply that any are undeserving, not knowing who they were.

[Payson Dave]

Damn...some people just seem to get off on arguing with others... Opinions are like azzholes...everybody has one...and furthermore everybody is entitled to have one...Smarty Jones did bring some fans to the game...that is a good thing...being argumentative and arrogant won't encourage very many new players...Getting new blood interested in the sport is crucial to it's survival...
Not that it matters but I've been playing the ponies for at least the past 37 years...I was at Saratoga when Onion beat Big Red...I was at Saratoga when General Assembly won in the mud...I was there when Alydar and Affirmed battled in the Travers...I've been to more than a few tracks and seen more than a few good race horses...it is ok for someone to have liked Smarty Jones...it is ok for someone to have liked Easy Goer...or Four Star Dave or War Emblem or even a rat like Spend A Buck...much of this game revolves around forming opinions...and there ain't nothing wrong with everybody having different ones.

[estreetposse]

I believe that you have to look at it like this: Horseracing is a sport, just like any other sports. Everyone is going to disagree on who is the best from generation to generation or from city to city or even position to position. Who is right??? In most cases everyone is right, I know that these forums are for spouting off knowledge and like the ESPN commericial talkin out your...
Old and new players alike should realize that the athletes including horses and jocks, that were idolized in the 50's are not the same idolized in the 80's, 90's or in the 21st century. I'm sure many on this forum who liked baseball growing up loved DiMaggio and Williams, others grew up with Reggie and Fisk, and now Jeter or Pujols. Who is the best of these? They all are in their own right and in the minds of the fans who love them. HoF's are supposed to be for legends of the game, a select few who exemplify not only talent, but enrichment of the game that they play. Right now in baseball we have the HGH and Steroid era, in Horses, Meds(legal or not) and very short campaigns. Unfortunately those involved in both will probably be inducted, if not, then who will?

[Withers]

Originally Posted by Payson Dave

Damn...some people just seem to get off on arguing with others... Opinions are like azzholes...everybody has one...and furthermore everybody is entitled to have one...Smarty Jones did bring some fans to the game...that is a good thing...being argumentative and arrogant won't encourage very many new players...Getting new blood interested in the sport is crucial to it's survival...
Not that it matters but I've been playing the ponies for at least the past 37 years...I was at Saratoga when Onion beat Big Red...I was at Saratoga when General Assembly won in the mud...I was there when Alydar and Affirmed battled in the Travers...I've been to more than a few tracks and seen more than a few good race horses...it is ok for someone to have liked Smarty Jones...it is ok for someone to have liked Easy Goer...or Four Star Dave or War Emblem or even a rat like Spend A Buck...much of this game revolves around forming opinions...and there ain't nothing wrong with everybody having different ones.

Hear, hear.

[Samarta]

Originally Posted by Payson Dave

Damn...some people just seem to get off on arguing with others... Opinions are like azzholes...everybody has one...and furthermore everybody is entitled to have one...Smarty Jones did bring some fans to the game...that is a good thing...being argumentative and arrogant won't encourage very many new players...Getting new blood interested in the sport is crucial to it's survival...
Not that it matters but I've been playing the ponies for at least the past 37 years...I was at Saratoga when Onion beat Big Red...I was at Saratoga when General Assembly won in the mud...I was there when Alydar and Affirmed battled in the Travers...I've been to more than a few tracks and seen more than a few good race horses...it is ok for someone to have liked Smarty Jones...it is ok for someone to have liked Easy Goer...or Four Star Dave or War Emblem or even a rat like Spend A Buck...much of this game revolves around forming opinions...and there ain't nothing wrong with everybody having different ones.

We have a winner!!! Well said....

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Payson Dave

Damn...some people just seem to get off on arguing with others... Opinions are like azzholes...everybody has one...and furthermore everybody is entitled to have one...Smarty Jones did bring some fans to the game...that is a good thing...being argumentative and arrogant won't encourage very many new players...Getting new blood interested in the sport is crucial to it's survival...
Not that it matters but I've been playing the ponies for at least the past 37 years...I was at Saratoga when Onion beat Big Red...I was at Saratoga when General Assembly won in the mud...I was there when Alydar and Affirmed battled in the Travers...I've been to more than a few tracks and seen more than a few good race horses...it is ok for someone to have liked Smarty Jones...it is ok for someone to have liked Easy Goer...or Four Star Dave or War Emblem or even a rat like Spend A Buck...much of this game revolves around forming opinions...and there ain't nothing wrong with everybody having different ones.

Spend a Buck was a rat?

By the way, nobody is denying the rights of people to be attached to different horses. However, we are allowed to have differing opinions, whether they are about specific horses, or their supposed affect on the game, and we express them here. It's not personal. At least it shouldn't be.

[Cajungator26]

Andy, you're up early.

[blackthroatedwind]

Funny.

[Cajungator26]

Couldn't resist. I was up all f'ing night and am now stuck sitting here all day.

[Payson Dave]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Spend a Buck was a rat.

Well maybe not a rat but imho he was not the most noteworthy Derby winner...Talk about a bleeder...

[Linny]

With today's med rules he'd be a superstar.

[blackthroatedwind]

To be honest I never had much of a feel for him one way or the other. That wasn't a particularly terrific group as I recall. Turkoman didn't really get good until he was 4.

[Grits]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

Couldn't resist. I was up all f'ing night and am now stuck sitting here all day.

Sounds like a sleepless mother with a sick toddler.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I'm just glad that there is a King Glorious Stakes. Nothing else even matters. Oh yeah, Smarty Jones deserves to be and will UNDOUBTEDLY be a first ballot hall of famer.

Scary thought that a horse with 3 important wins would be considered a first ballot hall of famer.

[SentToStud]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

To be honest my recall of specific careers isn't great from that time, though I was at Aqueduct when he won the 1975 Wood Memorial ( beating Songkisser easily ), but he was a bullet. He arrived in Saratoga in 1975 after having won, I believe, quite a few races in Puerto Rico, and simply demolished the field in one of the 2YO stakes leading up to the Hopeful. I cannot tell you what he did from there to the Wood. Honest Pleasure was all the rage going into that Derby, which I believe had a small field ( eight? ), after crushing in the Flamingo and Florida Derby ( where I believe he covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:46 4/5 ). But, Bold Forbes wired him in the Derby. From there, Honest Pleasure's connections vowed not to let him get away on the lead in the Preakness, and all hell broke loose ( much like in 1988 ), and while Honest Pleasure faded to fifth or sixth ( there were only six ) Bold Forbes did manage to run third to Elocutionist who took great advantage of the pace. As usual, few were left for the Belmont, and Bold Forbes gamely held off McKenzie Bridge and Great Contractor ( who had actually run 1 1/2 previously having competed in a 1 1/2 grass stake in Florida against olders a couple months or so previous ). While his competition was not super strong, it was an amazing achievement, especially for a horse who less than a year earlier was the sensation in 2YO sprints in Puerto Rico.

The rest of the year for him is sketchy to me but he may have made his one and only other start in the 7F Vosburgh where he was upset by the mighty My Juliet.

On how he was able to carry his speed the 1 1/2 of the Belmont.....it felt as though Cordero carried him over the wire. I can still remember watching that race.

Bold Forbes ran five times in Puerto Rico. He won all five races by a combined 70 lengths or so. He won his first race by 18 lengths. He was 35-1 that day.