Who was closer to the Triple Crown...Smarty or Alex?

[pmayjr]

Stevepopyak,
That's exactly right. Wimbledon was scratched, and Bailey approached John Servis. Trying to persuade him to let him ride Smarty in the Derby. Servis stayed with Stew Elliot, and I think Bailey really hated that. I think he resented not having a Derby mount. So he tried to bury the horse and the connections that could've helped him...

Suffolk,
The point you made about Bailey's thought process. I mean the "if I ain't riding him" I don't want him to win attitude- I could see him saying that. In his book, he repeatedly mentions about with the quick reirements of horses these days, the mmarketing and stardom should be put more on the jocks than on the horses. I agree with him to an extent, but the Smarty Belmont was not the way to emphasize your point lol. I do remember after Prado won on Birdstone that day, he was so apologetic in the interview after winning. So i don't think Prado shared Bailey's view...