Just a Little Reminder of 2004

[JustRalph]

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[joanied]

Oh why did I watch that video...:( :mad: :( what a heart breaker.

[Marshall Bennett]

Haven't seen that since 2004 , thanks JR for the painful reminder . :D

[SmartyLane]

See the handle and you will know who one of my favorites is/was..............Durkins call in race may be one of my favorites of all time however.........."The Whip is out on Smarty Jones, he is just one furlong away"

[Relwob Owner]

See the handle and you will know who one of my favorites is/was..............Durkins call in race may be one of my favorites of all time however.........."The Whip is out on Smarty Jones, he is just one furlong away"



I am not a huge Durkin fan overall, but you are so right about that call....it seemed to convey everyone's emotions all the way through til the disappointing end....

[ghostyapper]

See the handle and you will know who one of my favorites is/was..............Durkins call in race may be one of my favorites of all time however.........."The Whip is out on Smarty Jones, he is just one furlong away"

He was also excellent in spotting out so early that Birdstone would be trouble with "birdstone is gonna make him earn it today"

[FantasticDan]

I heard "Birdstone surges!!" in my nightmares for months after. It still rings in my ears.

[DJofSD]

I will always remember Smarty Jones. Birdstone has been forgotten.

[tag]

stew really showed his inexperience that day

[lsbets]

Watched that race in the MWR tent on my base in Iraq. About 8 other people woke up to watch it, it was on at some stupid hour- 1 or 2 in the morning. Unbelievably disappointing, we were rooting hard for Smarty.

[Bruddah]

Smarty Jones is my favorite horse of all time and I have been privileged to see many good ones race. His trainer, John Servis, gave the truthful answer of why SJ lost the Belmont. He said "he just didn't settlle in today, the way he has in the past". It was evident when SJ took over the lead of the race after 4f and then battled to keep it twice. The horse was under pressure the entire race and just ran out of gas.

As much as I like SJ, he just wasn't a Triple Crown horse. That is reserved for the true "monsters". It (the TC) will happen again one day and my wish is that it not be a horse who wins against weak competition, but has to battle the best competition to the wire. That's the way it should be and nothing less should be expected or accepted. (JMHO)

[SmartyLane]

Smarty Jones is my favorite horse of all time and I have been privileged to see many good ones race. His trainer, John Servis, gave the truthful answer of why SJ lost the Belmont. He said "he just didn't settlle in today, the way he has in the past". It was evident when SJ took over the lead of the race after 4f and then battled to keep it twice. The horse was under pressure the entire race and just ran out of gas.

As much as I like SJ, he just wasn't a Triple Crown horse. That is reserved for the true "monsters". It (the TC) will happen again one day and my wish is that it not be a horse who wins against weak competition, but has to battle the best competition to the wire. That's the way it should be and nothing less should be expected or accepted. (JMHO)

I agree with your last paragraph here...........it really angers me when people say that RA shouldn't of run the Preakness, because we would have a potential TC winner this year...........do you really want a horse to win the TC that was NOT the best 3 year old and be mentioned with the likes of Affirmed, The Slew, Secretariat and the others, HECK NO. MTB is a great little horse but not the BEST 3 year old, nuff said.

[W2G]

Where's the love for Birdstone? Who else bet him in the Belmont? Nothing but pleasant parimutuel memories of that race, although seeing Smarty do it would have been great too. Birdstone was a neat little horse, and a $74 neat little horse on that day.

Anyone remember when he won an eerie Travers (or the Belmont again according to Durkin) in near darkness? They rushed to get them out of the gate a couple of minutes early before the heavens unleashed a deluge.

[Jinxed]

I can't believe I just watched that race and Birdstone won again..... :lol:

[CBedo]

I had Birdstone and had told some friends of mine who had never made a bet on a horse race ever before to make sure to use Birdstone. It ranks up there as one of my best days at the track (except now those same friends call me all the time for picks, lol).

[dartman51]

I can't believe I just watched that race and Birdstone won again..... :lol:

I hope you didn't bet against him 'AGAIN' :lol: :D

[todko]

Looks like you'll be hearing more of Birdstone soon than Smarty. Birdstone is becoming a very hot sire. Started stud fee at $10,000 versus Smarty's $100,000. Birdstone didn't get the mares that Smarty did yet sired the Kentucky Derby winner.

Who's heard of those other horses in the Belmont lately? Namely big studly Rock Hard Ten and Eddington. People talked about Rock Hard Ten like he was Elvis re-incarnated. Birdstone ran by them like they were tied to a pole.

I'm a big fan of Birdstone and cashed heavily on him in the '04 Belmont. Well bred, well rested, well trained, and well ridden. That was a gimme at 36-1.

[eastie]

Do you have a "gimme" for this year's belmont ? Let me guess, Summer Bird fits a couple of your criteria. He must be a cinch.