What Smarty Jones faced in 2004 & what Big Brown faces on Saturday....the difference?
 

In 2004, Smarty Jones was undefeated in his quest for the Triple Crown and at 1-5 looked like a lock. Big Brown faces simliar company on Saturday and he'll be the same odds. Is he that much better than Smarty Jones and if not, who looks to be the Birdstone of 2008??? I've been disappointed too many times the last ten years when we get this far, why should things be any different this year?

Kent D is not Stewart f''n Elliot...

True... but he came ever so close in 1998 and f'd up much like Stewy did.

Smarty didn't or couldn't settle when the other horses came at him. BB doesn't need the lead and seems so pushbutton that he can be placed behind anyone gunning it to the front. Rather than be in Smarty's position, BB will be in Birdstone's position coming into the stretch. Servis talks about this at the end of this article:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/h...,3890965.story

Big Brown isn't facing similar company.

Birdstone was a Grade 1 winner on the Belmont surface handled by one of the best trainers in the sport. He also went on to win the Travers to support he was a talent. Other then Casino Royale who has race 2 times in his career what the heck does Big Brown have to beat.. Also Smarty was totally screwed be Bailey and friends. Other then that NOTHING lol

Other than Casino Drive, it looks like the same cast of characters.

This year's "cast of characters" isn't in the same league as that year's was.

Birdstone wasn't really thought of before the Belmont Stakes, after all he paid $74. Casino Drive could be Rock Hard Ten of this year in the wagering. Is there anybody out there that could be the "Birdstone" in price???

Other than Rock Hard Ten & Purge....looks the same here.

We would already had a TC winner in Smarty Jones if not for Stewart Elliot bonehead of a ride. Ya Ya people blame Jerry Bailey for rushing eddington fast
early to duel with SJ but Elliot took the bait. And for people who think it was Baileys idea to rush early you are wrong the following articlae says it was Henning's idea.

Didn't also-rans Rock Hard Ten and Eddington go on to greater things post TC? I think RHT lost just one more race in his career and accounted for the Swaps, Malibu, Strub, Big Cap and Goodwood. Eddington took the Pimlico Special, Gulfstream Park Handicap, and Calder Derby. Not sure if anyone lining up this Saturday look to have that sort of potential.

and Birdstone and Eddington. So other than those four - I guess it's the same. :zz:

But, we didn't know that going into the race. Denis of Cork, Tale of Ekati and even Ready's Echo could prove more later on this year.

You also forgot about Eddington and Birdstone

Birdstone was lightly raced and over looked I used him underneath I didnt think Smarty could lose. As I said Birdstone proved to be a nice little colt not great but winning the Chanpagne Belmont and Travers isnt too shabby know matter how crappy the Travers win was

Birdstone was winterbook favorite for the Kentucky Derby in January. Like Lemon Drop Kid, he was an example of a good horse being given up on too soon. Even Hansel, the post-time favorite in the '91 Derby, came back at 8-1 in the Preakness. Funny enough, he was 9-2 in the Belmont despite winning at Pimlico by about 7 lengths...

Judging by those two odds in the Belmont, at that time....they weren't much. I still think it looks pretty equal on paper what Smarty faced and what Big Brown faces on Saturday.

Eddington was just getting real good when he got hurt and was retired. Who knows, maybe someone out of this Belmont Stakes group will be just as good as the mentioned horses.

Good point. Denis of Cork could make a lot of noise if managed properly. Tale of Ekati, being by Tale of the Cat, no matter what his talent level, to me doesn't seem a classic type horse (I expect a Grand Slam or Scan type effort from him--which is to say he will drop out of a forward position at the top of the stretch). I'd look for him, if he were in any other barn than Barclay Tagg's, to point for mile races and extended sprints subsequently.

I have no idea who Ready's Echo is. Everytime I see his name I think of the horse that was a bad 2nd to Majestic Warrior in the Hopeful who then ran last in the Champagne. The only thing I know about him is that he's not that horse. Which is probably a good thing...

There is a better shot Big Brown is better then Big Red then any of these other rodents are close to Eddington and Rock Hard Ten.. Save Casinos Drive who could be something very special as well.

Take a look at his races.....he may not win, but he could be a price underneath in the exotics.

Well before the Preakness and Belmont, Eddington was touted as being a monster race horse even before his MSW, ALW1 but lost 3 straight thereafter.

I dont see others being a good horse from this yrs crop other than some fine sprinters like PYRO and Colonel John.

Exactly, he was touted....never really lived up to the hype though.

Thats exacly the point. Who in this Belmont field (other than BB and Casino Drive of course)was even touted as being a superstar horse??

Smarty was like 9-0-0 at that point?

No Eddington, Rock Hard Ten, or Birdstone.
After being a doubter after the Derby, this
race firmly stated that this horse was
very talented and extraordinarily tough for me.

This was the race that showed Smarty was
a champion.

smarty was not born to win the belmont, and he didn't get the perfect ride that he needed in the belmont. He was too sharp , Elliot was too eager.

Brown is bred better than most of these for 12furlongs, he has the best jockey in the world and a high powered trainer. Doesn't mean he can't lose, but he has the advantage over Smarty Jones.

Best jock in the world? Isnt this the same guy who had to leave California to get a mount?

Tons of Boundary's get a mile and a half?

It's arguable that Birdstone, Rock Hard Ten and Eddington were all better than any horse Big Brown has ever faced.

He's also the same guy who blew the Triple Crown with Real Quiet when he sent that one after Grand Slam and Chilito, two horses that could only have won the Belmont as part of a relay team, at the three eighths pole.

A very wise man once told me that Kent rode that race like he just wanted to get it over with. Of course, it took one of the all time great rides by Gary Stevens to beat him.

I'm a big believer in female family stamina combined with visual appraisal.

Best jockey in the United States or best dirt racing jockey is a lot more fair.

If I drive a porsche 969 and Jimmy Johnson drives a Saturn trust me he aint beating me once around Daytona.. Any jockey can look like the best in the world when there horse is 30 lengths the best

And the same jock that cost Kotoshan the Japan Turf cause he still couldnt find the finish line after being called into the stewards office after misjudging it twice before???? yeah he is realllllll smart. :zz:

And misjudged it at Keeneland again last year.

The problem with Desormeaux is that he is a really talented rider....and way too often rides poorly.

im just saying , smarty was a nice story. Had a trainer who is a real good horseman and a rehabillitated jockey out to prove second chances really do make good..

this here with Brown is the best that money can buy.

Kotashaan or Kostroma?

Kent is definitely an enigma. There are things he does much better than the other jocks and his comments on pace show a relatively high level understanding of it. Then again, some of his poor rides are about as bad as any I've ever seen or imagined.

Eddington, Rock Hard Ten, and Purge all turned out to be pretty decent horses.