BENSALEM, Pa. (AP) Standing in the stall after his Preakness victory, Smarty Jones looked ready to race again.
The colt's eyes were bright, he licked the feed tub clean and hardly seemed tired.
''It's amazing, but right now this horse is showing signs that he's still going forward,'' trainer John Servis said.
More proof came Wednesday when Smarty Jones returned to the track for the first time since his record-setting victory in the Preakness, and turned what was supposed to be an easy jog into a final half-mile gallop on his home turf at Philadelphia Park.
''I did more with him than I planned to for the simple reason he was calling for it,'' Servis said.
Exercise rider Pete Van Tramp turned Smarty around at the grandstand, and with Servis aboard his pony keeping the colt restrained, the little red chestnut broke into a gallop.
''It was just to try and take a little bit of the edge off,'' Servis said. ''I mean, he was happy coming home and he wasn't too rank. I just can't get over how this horse came out of this race. It's unbelievable.''
So Smarty Jones got to gallop to kick off his training for the Belmont Stakes, where the 3-year-old colt will attempt to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
As for the grueling 1½ miles of the Belmont on June 5, the longest of the Triple Crown races, Servis said it won't be a problem.
''I can't see any reason why this horse wouldn't go in the Belmont, and run as good of a race as he's been running all along,'' Servis said of his undefeated horse. ''If he acts like he's not going to, we'll skip the Belmont.''
Smarty Jones will continue training at Philadelphia Park for at least the next week. Servis said he is undecided when he will bring Smarty to New York, even though tentative plans call for the horse to arrive next Wednesday.
''If he continues to train well here,'' Servis said, ''I'm going to keep him here as long as I can.''
Ridden by Stewart Elliott, Smarty Jones won the Preakness by 11½ lengths last Saturday. The previous record of 10 lengths was set by Survivor, in the first Preakness in 1873.
Should Smarty Jones win the Belmont and become racing's 12th Triple Crown champion, he would also earn a $5 million bonus for owners Pat and Roy Chapman for sweeping the series. Smarty already earned one $5 million bonus from Oaklawn Park by winning the Rebel Stakes, Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby.
By winning the Belmont, Smarty Jones would also become racing's richest horse with more than $13 million in earnings. Cigar is the leader with $9,999,815.
Smarty Jones is scheduled to gallop Saturday morning, with the public invited to attend. The first time Smarty staged a public gallop, a week after winning the May 1 Kentucky Derby, about 5,000 fans showed up at the colt's hometown track.
Dan Gelston, Associated Press, 5/20/2004 01:52
The colt's eyes were bright, he licked the feed tub clean and hardly seemed tired.
''It's amazing, but right now this horse is showing signs that he's still going forward,'' trainer John Servis said.
More proof came Wednesday when Smarty Jones returned to the track for the first time since his record-setting victory in the Preakness, and turned what was supposed to be an easy jog into a final half-mile gallop on his home turf at Philadelphia Park.
''I did more with him than I planned to for the simple reason he was calling for it,'' Servis said.
Exercise rider Pete Van Tramp turned Smarty around at the grandstand, and with Servis aboard his pony keeping the colt restrained, the little red chestnut broke into a gallop.
''It was just to try and take a little bit of the edge off,'' Servis said. ''I mean, he was happy coming home and he wasn't too rank. I just can't get over how this horse came out of this race. It's unbelievable.''
So Smarty Jones got to gallop to kick off his training for the Belmont Stakes, where the 3-year-old colt will attempt to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
As for the grueling 1½ miles of the Belmont on June 5, the longest of the Triple Crown races, Servis said it won't be a problem.
''I can't see any reason why this horse wouldn't go in the Belmont, and run as good of a race as he's been running all along,'' Servis said of his undefeated horse. ''If he acts like he's not going to, we'll skip the Belmont.''
Smarty Jones will continue training at Philadelphia Park for at least the next week. Servis said he is undecided when he will bring Smarty to New York, even though tentative plans call for the horse to arrive next Wednesday.
''If he continues to train well here,'' Servis said, ''I'm going to keep him here as long as I can.''
Ridden by Stewart Elliott, Smarty Jones won the Preakness by 11½ lengths last Saturday. The previous record of 10 lengths was set by Survivor, in the first Preakness in 1873.
Should Smarty Jones win the Belmont and become racing's 12th Triple Crown champion, he would also earn a $5 million bonus for owners Pat and Roy Chapman for sweeping the series. Smarty already earned one $5 million bonus from Oaklawn Park by winning the Rebel Stakes, Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby.
By winning the Belmont, Smarty Jones would also become racing's richest horse with more than $13 million in earnings. Cigar is the leader with $9,999,815.
Smarty Jones is scheduled to gallop Saturday morning, with the public invited to attend. The first time Smarty staged a public gallop, a week after winning the May 1 Kentucky Derby, about 5,000 fans showed up at the colt's hometown track.
Dan Gelston, Associated Press, 5/20/2004 01:52
