Along Came Jones

re: Along Came Jones

Soldier Course — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:00:12 GMT

Hello, dear Mrs. Chapman,

Smarty is right here in my heart, always, my "second star to the right". I think of you every day.

Hasn't Steve's recap been wonderful? Just think of the book he could write about Smarty.

Lyn Powell

aka "Soldier Course" on the blogs

re: Along Came Jones

txhorsefan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:00:11 GMT

Dear Mrs. Chapman, we should be thanking you for providing so much joy and so many thrills for us as we were with you on Smarty's exciting run! You were so generous to be sharing your beautiful boy with all his fans and I well remember how it was reported on Bloodhorse that one of your requirements for his life as a stallion was that his fans would be able to visit him. I haven't made it to Three Chimneys yet, but on my next trip to KY, I will finally get to meet Smarty Jones. Thank you!

re: Along Came Jones

MonicaV — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:09:16 GMT

Mrs. Chapman,

Thank you so much for the Once-in-a-lifetime horse! Smarty Jones is my all-time favorite and I cannot describe the thrills I experienced watching him run. I love that horse and am I ever glad you bred that little dynamo. Thanks for the thrills and thanks for being wonderful people we all loved cheering for.

re: Along Came Jones

merrywriter — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:40:33 GMT

Where has the decade gone? Gone Baby Gone!

re: Along Came Jones

Pat Chapman — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:49:12 GMT

Steve,

Thanks for the wonderful tribute to Smarty Jones. You certainly brought back so many memories for me. He came so close in that last race (and you know there is a story there). You also know that he still cannot be ridden (and they do ride their stallions at Three Chimneys.)

Steve, you've almost got the book done, and with so much emotion. Maybe you should go for it.

Patty, I loved your comments, too. Thanks to you for your wonderful part in this story.

re: Along Came Jones

Lou — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:52:45 GMT

As someone who has always looked at the races from a betting perspective, Smarty Jones is the only horse that ever brought tears to my eyes. Just something about him, he deserved the crown. Thanks for the memories.

re: Along Came Jones

charlie — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:31:06 GMT

That year when friends asked me about the Derby, I'd say There's this Pennsylvania bred, Smarty Jones. It had been a long time since one of my Derby picks ran well, so that day Smarty had me yelling at the TV, and I don't do that often. As to the Belmont Stakes that year, I've always said I never saw a horse try so hard to win a race as Smarty did that day. I've always thought he laid the rest of his racing career on the line that day.

re: Along Came Jones

MonicaV — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:17:45 GMT

Once in a great while, along comes a horse that fires the imagination and takes us along for the ride of our lives. That was Smarty. I fell in love with him early on in his career. He had it all! The looks, the personality, the talent and the connections. He was a miracle for horse racing and it is truly a shame he was retired after the Belmont. What a horse!

re: Along Came Jones

Cleone — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:27:19 GMT

Steve, I love your looks back into racing history! Keep 'em coming, please.

re: Along Came Jones

keenelandcat` — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:05:01 GMT

In my previous post, I was rushing to an appointment and didn't have time to make correctons or add one final thought. For me, the fact that Smarty was a homebred, one of only two horses the Chapman's owned, made his story even more magical. As a small breeder, knowing that someone was able to achieve that pinnacle is extremely inspiring.

re: Along Came Jones

Paula Higgins — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:08:29 GMT

Steve, GREAT piece. I loved Smarty Jones from the start and he is one of my all time favorites. I agree that he had a ton left in the tank. He was one great horse. Very heartwarming.

Wonderful to see Dr. Hogan posting about her boy. She did an amazing job with him. She is to be congratulated.

re: Along Came Jones

Julie L. — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:52:29 GMT

How great was Smarty Jones but I must admit that though I was pretty sure that it would be Smarty that day my personal favorite was Lion Heart. What a gutsy performance he gave and his heart lived up to his name. I always look for his babies because with a heart like that his babies have to be good.

re: Along Came Jones

Soldier Course — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:46:36 GMT

Thank you, Dr. Hogan, for your wonderful post, which I'm sure everyone here has appreciated.

Three Chimneys has Tweeted about this particular blog on Twitter tonight.

re: Along Came Jones

gammyp6 — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:16:37 GMT

Steve, thanks for the catharsis. I feel so much better now. I have gone around for a while trying to keep it together. I love Christmas but my Mom has been gone for eleven of them. The way you write just goes to the very soul. Smarty is an all time favorite of mine. What he brought to racing was needed then and now. I realize that is an understatement. But the tears that welled up and overflowed just now were good. Here's to Smarty and here's to you Steve. God Bless us each and everyone!

re: Along Came Jones

Steve Haskin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:08:51 GMT

Aww, thanks so much, Patty. That was beautifully written. It's one thing writing the fairy tale, but it's another to actually be part of it. I will e-mail you to catch up and see how everything is going with you.

re: Along Came Jones

Dr. Patty Hogan — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:48:59 GMT

Steve -

Although the story of Smarty had all the "stuff that dreams are made of", you truly have a rare gift for piecing it all together into the most wonderful fairytale! Reading it again brought back the goose bumps,a broad smile to my face, and some tears! Smarty was something so special - I remember every little hair on his head, his incredible spirit, his spunky nature and "can-do" attitude...to see all those great qualities then manifest into those thrilling performances on the racetrack is something I will long admire and never forget. Thanks for the memories!

re: Along Came Jones

Steve Haskin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:08:59 GMT

Thank you, Zookeeper, Kim R, Fran, Circe and everyone else for your kind words.

Steve From St. Louis, I wouldnt compare Smarty to Slew or any other horse. He is who he is, which is a talented horse with a great personality and demeanor, and a limitless future. He could have been one of the great ones.

Michelle, it's not an editor, it's a publisher that would be needed.

Very well said, Keenelandcat

re: Along Came Jones

CV — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:49:59 GMT

Would Smarty Jones be a good candidate to mate with Zenyatta? I understand you wouldn't want too big a stallion because she's so tall herself.

re: Along Came Jones

DKS — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:02:27 GMT

Smarty was the working man's horsse: look who owned him, who trained him, the track he called home. He was easy to identify with and to root for. Smaller than most of the horses. I will never forget seeing him dwarfed in the Preakness by Rock Hard Ten and Eddington. He did not care. He was all about running. Thank you for reminding us of his ride. You are also one of my favorite writers. Your words paint pictures that draw us in.

re: Along Came Jones

Circe — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:15:51 GMT

Steve, you're my favorite turf writer and once again you've brought tears to my eyes describing one of my favorite racing memories.

Smarty was my Derby pick going into the Arkansas and though I'd been a fan of the sport for a while, he was the first horse I felt that special "true connection" with that - as I've since learned - comes along only so often (Afleet Alex and Curlin are my others, and not quite as deep).

2004 was the 3rd year my now-husband had been forced to watch the Derby with me, and our first in our new home together. When Smarty took the lead in the final 16th I was jumping up and down, and when he crossed the line I was literally hysterical. (My husband was totally taken aback!) I've since watched the video of that race easily 100 times and it never fails to bring tears.

I don't expect to have that strong of a reaction again for a long time, if ever. Unless my ultimate dream comes true and a Curlin - Rachel Alexandra baby wins the Triple Crown. At which point my husband will need to invest in smelling salts.

re: Along Came Jones

keenelandcat — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:21:11 GMT

Thank you for that article again. Like Secretariat before him, Smarty Jones came along when this country desparately needed a larger than life hero. We were bogged down in an unpopular war & people were struggling just to make ends meet. His story and connections gave many of us in this industry renewed hope. This wonderful story provided us with a true set of American heros.

re: Along Came Jones

Michelle B. — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:17:12 GMT

Amazing - thank you.

P.S. All you need is a good editor - they'll put the book together for you from what you've already written.

re: Along Came Jones

steve from st louis — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:01:03 GMT

Steve: As usual, very readable narrative. Putting your own opinion out there, how do you compare Smarty? Kind of "Slew"-like?

re: Along Came Jones

Fran Loszynski — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:49:56 GMT

Just great Steve. It brought tears to my eyes. I remember my best friend and I placed a bet on him and won. It was her first horse race. Smarty Jones got me interested in the Philly horses, thus Afleet Alex captured my heart; I will always remember Smarty. He was a ham to the camera! My best friend died two years ago and how I remember her is by her yell "I like that Smarty!!"

re: Along Came Jones

Debbie O'Connor — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:46:44 GMT

Steve,

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Being a Philly girl, Smarty was and still is my main man. How exciting it was to witness all the excitement and fun Smarty bought on his campaign to the triple crown. His connections were so gracious and giving of both their and Smarty's time to us, his adoring public. It was a wonderful time to be a horse racing fan in the City of Brotherly Love. I lost count of the number of "Smarty Parties" we attended. Every day someone had some new story about Smarty, the Chapmans, John Servis or Stewart Elliot. It was so much fun! And then of course, came the Belmont... I cried for days. Even with that sadness, I still derived a lot of joy from that time. I will never forget dear Smarty Jones,