Originally Posted by GPK

He was my introduction into horse racing....

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

His actual accomplishments were greater than Smarty Jones....and he has as much chance of being in the Hall of Fame as Spooky Mulder.

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Yet another reason he belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

I understand your point about the HOF, but with how horse racing has been this decade, every horse is retired once they make it "big time". Do you really think none of these horses will make it into the HOF? They are all accomplishing "little" because they are taken to stud, with a few exceptions like Tiznow. (Lava Man has been accomplishing "a lot" because he's a gelding.. is he HOF worthy.. i dont know). Ghostzapper, Smarty, Afleet Alex, Point Given, etc. all taken to the shed when they could have had the chance to accomplish a lot more. At least Mineshaft ran an amazing 18 times. The game is changing so maybe the HOF requirements will be different.

Originally Posted by Pillow Pants

Well....he was sore in the bcc. I think his second place finish was one of the best performances in the history of sport. A tear rolled down my cheek when I watched that magnificent animal labor down the stretch that dreary afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Lucky for me I knew he was a sore horse when I saw him in the paddock while watching the live feed from a 19 inch rca in the grandstand area. Didn't wager a dime on him.

Originally Posted by randallscott35

Wait a second, were you with Kyroses when you saw him in the paddock?

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

Andy, will you please comment on this post i have quoted. Will there ever be horses worthy of the HOF in the future because of long careers. there are no long careers anymore, at least for horses that win 2 or more triple crown races. How will this change the HOF?

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I would hope not. When horses start getting in the Hall of Fame for what might have been they should tear the place down.

I can just hear the speech " Smartest Jones would have been a GREAT horse, even better than his Daddy, had he not blown a suspensory in his second start. Many people, some who have even been around racing late in the 20th century, claimed his debut was the best they have seen since Proud Accolade....who by the way is another fine entrant into the Hall of Fame today ".


You earn the right to be placed alongside the greats through accomplishment. If for whatever reason a horse is retired before compiling a substantial resume it should not get in. Ever.

Originally Posted by Bystander

I feel like this has been said over and over and over, the Smarty Jones hype generated online and in print was overwhelming, and somewhat nauseating.

I liked the colt, I was a fan, but after a while it was like revisionist history at work, as Santa would ride the Easter Bunny to a ghastly and unfair loss in the Belmont. It's all about perspective. Since Smarty other racing media "stars" have popped up with the same sort of annoying fervor- remember Rocky? Smarty Jones was a neat horse who deserved some media attention, but not the amount of hype that makes a regular race fan cringe. I'll fall off my chair if he's inducted in the Hall of Fame.

Oh, and I dedicate this to Mortimerdexterfoxworthy.

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

thanks for the answer. it looks like there will never be another derby winner in the HOF.

Originally Posted by mortimerdexterfoxworthy

I would like to give you a nice kissy-poo.

Originally Posted by Pillow Pants

I wish. She was lookin fine in her purple burka in the Darley box. I tried to get her attention but she didn't notice me. :mad:

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Hmmm..wondering if Ghostzapper is a HOFer in the eyes of the same folks dismissing many other fine representatives of the sport.

Originally Posted by mortimerdexterfoxworthy

Well I didn't exactly have the greatest instructor in the world.