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

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by philcski

I remember the rain+lightning coming DURING the race... perhaps i'm wrong (i was there but inside the grandstand)... i recall they had lights on the finish, it got so dark...

either way, my point is if anything Birdstone VALIDATED Smarty Jones and repent has to give up on his childish battle against everyone on this horse he lost, miserably, 2 years ago. Like him or not you have to respect him.

I respect Smarty Jones but at the same time I think Repent is saying that Birdstone deserves more respect than he has ever received. The truth is, Birdstone could have been an excellent rival to Smarty in my opinion. In truth, his lame performances only came on bad tracks.

As for who was closer to the crown, i am going to go against the grain and say Afleet Alex. Alex had a much easier crop and a less than ideal trip in the derby. He was much better than the rest of the junk that was in his generation. I think Alex wins that KYD if run again. I think Smarty has a tough time winning that Belmont against those horses.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

I respect Smarty Jones but at the same time I think Repent is saying that Birdstone deserves more respect than he has ever received. The truth is, Birdstone could have been an excellent rival to Smarty in my opinion. In truth, his lame performances only came on bad tracks.

As for who was closer to the crown, i am going to go against the grain and say Afleet Alex. Alex had a much easier crop and a less than ideal trip in the derby. He was much better than the rest of the junk that was in his generation. I think Alex wins that KYD if run again. I think Smarty has a tough time winning that Belmont against those horses.

I guess you don't know the history with Repent and Smarty Jones...

IMO they BOTH should have won the TC. AA went into an area of the track in the Derby that was an absolute sandpit for some odd reason (i was sitting at the top of the stretch and EVERY horse that went over that section stopped badly, including Madcap Escapade which was a layup against her group). SJ was by far the best of his generation but unfortunately lost a vicious pace battle waged by two vindictive pinhead jockeys...

Originally Posted by philcski

I guess you don't know the history with Repent and Smarty Jones...

IMO they BOTH should have won the TC. AA went into an area of the track in the Derby that was an absolute sandpit for some odd reason (i was sitting at the top of the stretch and EVERY horse that went over that section stopped badly, including Madcap Escapade which was a layup against her group). SJ was by far the best of his generation but unfortunately lost a vicious pace battle waged by two vindictive pinhead jockeys...

I think Smarty faced better and it took BOTH of those pinheads and a Travers winner to beat him.
Aa did go to a deeper path, but thats not quite the same.
I never answered the original question in this thread because I felt it was an insult to Smarty Jones to even consider that their was any question about this.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by oracle80

I think Smarty faced better and it took BOTH of those pinheads and a Travers winner to beat him.
Aa did go to a deeper path, but thats not quite the same.
I never answered the original question in this thread because I felt it was an insult to Smarty Jones to even consider that their was any question about this.

I've been a self confessed SJ "goo goo" right from that cold day on the Aqu inner, so I'm with you. AA earned my respect, however...

Originally Posted by philcski

I've been a self confessed SJ "goo goo" right from that cold day on the Aqu inner, so I'm with you. AA earned my respect, however...

AA has my total respect, don't misunderstand me.
But SJ's Belmont may never quite get the respect it deserves. All you have to do is take a look at the chart and see where RHT and Eddington finished and that they had dropped dead before they even made the turn.
Imagine how great SJ was to have gotten beat a length after geing hounded on both sides by two horses who stopped to a complete walk suffering the effects of the same duel? And he was still miles clear of the third horse.
Thats the bravest race I ever saw a horse run.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by oracle80

AA has my total respect, don't misunderstand me.
But SJ's Belmont may never quite get the respect it deserves. All you have to do is take a look at the chart and see where RHT and Eddington finished and that they had dropped dead before they even made the turn.
Imagine how great SJ was to have gotten beat a length after geing hounded on both sides by two horses who stopped to a complete walk suffering the effects of the same duel? And he was still miles clear of the third horse.
Thats the bravest race I ever saw a horse run.

Not to forget, the original horse he was up front with (Purge) spit the bit and finished dead last, beaten almost 40 lengths. SJ was the gamest horse i've ever seen in person. I cried my eyeballs out when he won the Derby... (having hit for about $8k didn't hurt either!!)

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Tell me that you were wiping the raindrops from your eyes and that you weren't ACTUALLY crying!

I did see people around me crying at the Belmont Stakes when he finished second. Women were crying. I thought it was insane.

I understood the public's instant fascination with "Smarty" -- I wonder how many think about him now, though? -- so I didn't whoop it up when Birdstone crossed the wire first. Two others dudes and I cashed out rather well, but we didn't gloat.

I really was and not afraid to admit it (didn't go to CD that year even though I tried desperately to find a flight at the last minute)... i cashed a futures bet on him at 150-1 and i just got really emotionally attached watching him progress through the preps. never had before (i'm a bettor first) and haven't since.

I think about "what could have been" a lot... I have a nice framed photo of him winning the Derby in my house so it's a good reminder!