2004 Belmont Stakes will be biggest in it's History.

[wilheim]

BENSALEM, Pa. (AP) Smarty Jones is laying low, at least for a while.

The Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner returned to his home turf at Philadelphia Park on Sunday, a day after his record 11½-length win at Pimlico set the stage for a dramatic Triple Crown try at the Belmont Stakes in three weeks.

The colt will be rested leading up to the Belmont. He took a short walk around the barn Sunday morning before being loaded into his trailer. He arrived in Bensalem around short before 1 p.m. as his trailer followed by several TV helicopters cruised past the security gate.

Smarty Jones will stay off the track for at least a couple of days and be limited to light walks around the barn, said assistant trainer Bill Foster. The undefeated colt could go for a jog on Wednesday and relax at home before being shipped to New York by the middle of next week.

The three-week break between the Preakness and the Belmont was needed, according to trainer John Servis.

''I'm tickled to death to get the extra week,'' Servis said. ''I was a little concerned going into the Preakness. I thought he was a little vulnerable, the fact that we were coming right back in two weeks, and there were two fresh horses in there (Rock Hard Ten and Eddington) that I was pretty worried about.

''The race he ran was incredible, and I'm sure he'll enjoy the extra week going into the Belmont.''

Not everyone is taking time off jockey Stewart Elliott will be back in the saddle Monday at Philadelphia Park.

Smarty Jones is eight-for-eight and, with a win in his next start, would become just the 12th Triple Crown champion and the first to sweep the Derby, Preakness and Belmont since Affirmed in 1978.

He would also claim a $5 million bonus and become racing's richest horse.

Unlike last weekend's public workout when nearly 5,000 fans jammed the park, there was no celebration for Smarty Jones on Sunday.

Only two fans waited by the entrance to the stable area, Suzy Bowden, of Malvern, Pa., and her 14-year-old daughter Bonnie. But they weren't getting back to the barns, which were off limits to the public and members of the media.

Suzy Bowden had a video camera and was hoping to catch a glimpse of Smarty. Instead, all she got was footage of a white trailer, missing out on a chance to see the Pennsylvania-bred colt.

''We had to take a chance,'' Bowden said. ''We'll never get tickets to the Belmont. Just to say we were here makes us feel like part of history.''

There was little fanfare inside Philadelphia Park, where a few fans scooped up what was left of the Smarty Jones merchandise. Mostly hats and photos of the Kentucky Derby win remained. Keychains, glasses and more than 5,000 shirts were sold out by late Saturday when the park was packed with Smarty Jones revelers.

''Smarty Jones brought us here (Saturday). We wouldn't be here otherwise,'' said John Mancini, of Feasterville, Pa., who returned to buy his granddaughter a Smarty Jones hat.

Smarty Jones' popularity keeps growing, especially in his hometown.

''We're hoping he'll lead the Memorial Day parade,'' said Arlene Weidmann, of Bensalem. ''Everybody's so excited to have a winner here. People at the flea market are all talking about Smarty Jones.''

 

[TheGeneral+]

BALTIMORE - Despite Smarty Jones' 111/2-length victory in Saturday's Preakness Stakes, a few brave souls hope to spoil a Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes come June 5.

Rock Hard Ten and Eddington may both take another shot. Squeezed out of the Kentucky Derby by their lack of graded stakes earnings, Rock Hard Ten finished second and Eddington third behind Smarty Jones on Saturday.

"I think he came out of the race fine," said trainer Jason Orman of Rock Hard Ten. "He's eating good and acting his normal self as well. Right now we are pointing at the Belmont."

Rock Hard Ten will be shipped to New York either today or Tuesday, where he will join Eddington, who left Pimlico at 5 a.m. yesterday.

"If he continues to do well, we are planning to go in the Belmont Stakes," trainer Mark Hennig said of Eddington.

"The final decision will be made at the appropriate time, but that's the plan now."

If all goes well, trainer Nick Zito could have as many as three Belmont entries.

Zito hopes The Cliff's Edge will be healthy enough to go. The Blue Grass Stakes winner was scratched from the Preakness because of an abscess in his right foot from a stone bruise.

"I would like to run him in the Belmont," Zito said, "but we'll have to wait and see how he is."

Zito does plan on entering Royal Assault, who won the Sir Barton Stakes on the Pimlico undercard Saturday.

Owned by Tracy Farmer, Royal Assault could follow the same path taken by 2002 Belmont winner Sarava, who also won the Sir Barton.

"He can go a mile and a half," Zito said of Royal Assault, adding that Pat Day would be his jockey.

Birdstone, trained by Zito and owned by Marylou Whitney, is also a Belmont possibility.

Friends Lake, Master David, Mustanfar, Swingforthefences, Relaxed Gesture and Tapit also are considered possibilities.

Lion Heart, who finished second in the Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Preakness, is not expected to run in the Belmont. He was shipped to Saratoga.

Derby Trial winner Sir Shackleton, another Zito trainee who finished sixth in the Preakness, will not try the Belmont.

Both Imperialism, fifth in the Preakness, and Borrego, seventh, were shipped back to Hollywood Park yesterday.

But maybe Marty Ciresa, trainer of eighth-place finisher Little Matth Man, said it best.

"Like the rest of them, (Little Matth Man) is not a good enough horse to beat Smarty Jones," Ciresa said, adding, "He's the best horse I ever saw."

http://www.kentucky.com

 

[athakkar]

Philadelphia Park actually broadcasted the Preakness race. they said the place was the craziest its ever been...and obviously every person watching there bet on Smarty Jones. they said the lines to collect the cash from tickets was out the door