Smarty Jones (PA)

Biography

Smarty Jones was the horse everyone fell in love with. Hardcore racing fans, casual observers of the sport, and people who knew little or nothing about thoroughbred racing were all captivated by the spectacular Pennsylvania-bred who took the sports world by storm in the spring of 2004.

What a ride it was.

Bred in the Keystone State by Someday Farm, Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality—I’ll Get Along, by Smile) raced from 2003 through 2004, winning eight of his nine career starts, including the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in his sophomore season, and was voted the Eclipse Award for Champion 3-Year-Old Male in 2004. Campiagned by breeders Roy and Patricia Chapman under their Someday Farm banner, Smarty Jones was trained by John C. Servis and ridden exclusively by Stewart Elliott.

“Smarty was a gift to everyone — my husband and me, the team around him, the fans, all of Pennsylvania, of course,” Pat Chapman said. “Everyone who followed his story got swept up in that magic. He gave us so many thrills and so many memories that are cherished. To see him get recognition as a Hall of Famer is the perfect icing on the cake. Smarty has been a blessing.”

A chestnut colt, Smarty Jones announced his presence with authority immediately when he won his first two career starts at Philadelphia Park (now Parx Racing) in November 2003 — a maiden special weight and the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes — by a combined 22¾ lengths. There was early buzz about the precocious colt, but it was only the beginning.

As the calendar turned to 2004, Smarty Jones began his road to the Kentucky Derby in New York with a stylish five-length January victory in the listed Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. It was then off to Oaklawn Park for more winter magic. In Arkansas, Smarty Jones won the listed Southwest Stakes in February by three-quarters of a length and followed with a 3¼-length win in the listed Rebel Stakes in March. 

Smarty Jones then made it 3-for-3 at the Hot Springs oval and punched his ticket to Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby with a 1½-length victory in the Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby. 

“Today, to me, this was the pressure race,” Servis said after the Arkansas Derby. “If he didn’t run good today, he wasn’t going (to the Kentucky Derby). This was the pressure-cooker today.”

The Arkansas Derby was a stellar performance by Smarty Jones. As the even-money favorite, he was asked to carry his speed 1⅛ miles from the outside post (11) over an off track for the first time. The Oaklawn crowd of 62,254 roared as Smarty Jones took command in the stretch, bringing Roy Chapman to tears as he knew his horse was going to be bound for the Kentucky Derby.

“I just can’t tell you how it feels,” Roy Chapman said after the Arkansas Derby. “Unbelievable to see the way that horse ran today. And the team we have behind him … geez, it makes me happy.”

On May 1, 2004, Smarty Jones became the first undefeated Kentucky Derby winner since Seattle Slew in 1977 with a 2¾-length victory over Lion Heart before a crowd of 140,054 at Churchill Downs. He earned a $5 million bonus from Oaklawn Park for winning the combination of the Kentucky Derby and the three Derby preps at Oaklawn. Smarty Jones also became the second Pennsylvania-bred to win the Derby, joining Lil E. Tee (1992).

“An absolutely masterful ride,” Servis said of Elliott’s trip in the Derby.

Servis and Elliott became the first trainer-jockey duo to win the Derby on their first attempt since Spectacular Bid won in 1979 for trainer Bud Delp and jockey Ron Franklin.

In the stands, the 77-year-old Roy Chapman got out of his wheelchair and shouted, “I can’t believe it!” as he received hugs from Servis, friends, and relatives. Chapman, hooked up to an oxygen tank because of emphysema (he died in 2006), then sat back down, taking deep breaths to calm himself, but smiling the whole time.

Two weeks after his Derby victory, Smarty Jones romped by a record margin of 11½ lengths in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course before a raucous crowd of 112,168. He earned a career-best 118 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, the fifth of six times he achieved a Beyer of 100 or higher.

The BloodHorse reported, “Philly’s horse is fast becoming America’s horse.”

Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who finished a distant second to Smarty Jones on Rock Hard Ten, marveled at the dazzling effort turned in by the winner.

“That horse is as good as any horse I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen some good ones, been on some good ones, and I was on a good one today,” Stevens said. “Smarty really reminded me of Secretariat the way he pulled away.”

“He just keeps getting better, the son of a gun,” Elliott said following the Preakness. “He did it so easy. He has really gotten it together. I just rode him with confidence.”

The margin of victory in the Preakness was the largest in the 129-year history of the race and remains the record through 2025, spanning 150 runnings of the second jewel in the Triple Crown series.

“I got goosebumps,” Servis said after the Preakness. “I was concerned about him coming back in two weeks, but he had no works, and I think it was a good move.”

A Belmont Park record 120,139 fans were on hand for a potential Triple Crown sweep in the 2004 Belmont Stakes, but 36-1 longshot Birdstone pulled off the upset, defeating Smarty Jones by a length.

Elliott sent Smarty Jones to the lead on the backside and was pressed hard, first by Jerry Bailey aboard Eddington, then by Alex Solis on Rock Hard Ten. Smarty Jones put both of those horses away, but Edgar Prado had Birdstone cruising easily and he came up on Smarty Jones’ outside with a furlong to go and gutted out the win.

“He kind of drug Stew to the lead,” Servis said after the Belmont. “He didn’t settle as easily as he had in his other races.”

Smarty Jones was retired on Aug. 2, 2004, with a record of 8-1-0 from nine starts and earnings of $7,613,155 (including the Oaklawn bonus). He won his eight races by a combined 47½ lengths.

Smarty Jones began his stallion career at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Kentucky, where for a time he occupied the same stall that once housed Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. He is now 24 and standing at Equistar Training and Breeding Center in Annville, Pennsylvania.

More than 20 years after he was retired, Smarty Jones remains a popular figure in racing. He has been honored at Oaklawn since 2008 with the listed Smarty Jones Stakes in his honor and Parx Racing has held a Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes since 2010.  

Smarty Jones is the fourth Pennsylvania-bred to be elected to the Hall of Fame, joining 19^th century legend Parole (1994), steeplechase sensation Flatterer (1994), and the spectacular filly Go for Wand (1996).