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 Smarty Jones is poised on the brink of immortality as he tries for the Triple Crown on June 5th.
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We have all read about the horses that have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown only to fail in the Belmont Stakes. What does anyone really know about the horses that denied those Triple Crown attempts? Here is part of their story.
If history is any indication, Smarty Jones has three foes stalking him that are trying to make history repeat itself. Master David is trying to duplicate Lemon Drop Kid by finishing way out of the money in the Kentucky Derby and finishing 3rd in the Peter Pan Stakes. Royal Assault is trying to follow the path laid by fellow longshot Sarava by using the first place finish in the Sir Barton Stakes to win the Belmont. Purge is trying to mirror the success of Coastal, Stage Door Johnny, and Cavan, by going into the Belmont off a first place finish in the Peter Pan Stakes. It should be noted that Smarty Jones is expected to go off as the lowest price favorite since Spectacular Bid and Coastal upset Bid. While everyone expects Preakness runner up Rock Hard Ten to be the main threat, it should be pointed out that the only times a Preakness runner up thwarted a Triple Crown attempt, they also ran second in the Kentucky Derby.
Funny Cide (2003)
Trained by Barclay Tagg
June 7 - 6 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Only five rivals faced Funny Cide, and it was Kentucky Derby runner-up Empire Maker, who skipped the Preakness who won, with Funny Cide finishing third.
War Emblem (2002)
Trained by Bob Baffert
June 8 - 11 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Sarava, fresh off a win in the Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard, upset War Emblem at 70-1 in the Belmont. War Emblem ran eighth, the worst finish ever for a Derby/Preakness winner in the Belmont.
Charismatic (1999)
Trained by D. Wayne Lukas
June 5 - 12 entered in Belmont Stakes - After placing 9th in the Kentucky Derby and finishing 3rd in the Peter Pan Stakes, Lemon Drop Kid won the Belmont and Charismatic finished third after falling to an injury.
 Real Quiet |
Silver Charm (1997)
Trained by Bob Baffert
June 7 - 7 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Touch Gold finished fourth in the Preakness and came back to score a three-quarters of a length win over Silver Charm.
Sunday Silence (1989)
Trained by Charlie Whittingham
June 10 - 10 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Sunday Silence proved no match for Derby/Preakness runner-up Easy Goer once the latter got back to his home track in the Belmont.
Alysheba (1987)
Trained by Jack Van Berg
June 6 - 9 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Bet Twice, second in the Derby and Preakness, romped to a 14-length win as Alysheba finished fourth.
Pleasant Colony (1981)
Trained by John Campo
June 6 - 11 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Pleasant Colony ran third to winner Summing, who had won his maiden race over Pleasant Colony and came into the Belmont with wins on the turf in the Hill Prince Stakes and on the dirt in the Pennsylvania Derby.
Spectacular Bid (1979)
Trained by Bud Delp
June 9 - 8 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Spectacular Bid, 1-5 favorite, undone by a safety pin imbedded in a foot and a misjudged ride in the Belmont, finished third to winner Coastal, who scored an impressive win earlier in a 13-length romp in the Peter Pan Stakes.
Canonero II (1971)
Trained by Juan Arias
June 5 - 13 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Canonero led early, but finished fourth to longshot Pass Catcher, who came into the Belmont off a 2nd place finish in the Jersey Derby.
 Majestic Prince |
Forward Pass (1968)
Trained by Henry Forest
June 1 - 9 entered in Belmont Stakes - Forward Pass leads until the eighth-pole and in what would have been the most controversial of all Triple Crown winners, Stage Door Johnny came into the Belmont by winning “the Peter Pan Purse” - an allowance race. He was one of the first colts to use the allowance as a springboard for the Belmont Stakes, and it became a stakes race thereafter.
Kauai King (1966)
Trained by Henry Forset
June 4 - 11 entered in Belmont Stakes -- In the lead with a quarter-mile remaining, Kauai King was ahead of 10- other horses, but faded fast and wound up seven lengths behind winner Amberoid. Amberoid came into the Belmont off a 7th place finish in the Kentucky Derby and a 3rd place finish in the Preakness.
Northern Dancer (1964)
Trained by Horatio Luro
June 6 - 8 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Northern Dancer is second in a nine-horse field with an eighth-mile remaining, but he finishes third behind Quadrangle. Quadrangle finished 5th in the Kentucky Derby and 4th in the Preakness.
Carry Back (1961)
Trained by J.A. Prince
June 3 - 9 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Carry Back never gets into contention and finishes seventh in a nine-horse field. He came across the wire 14 lengths behind winner Sherluck. Sherluck placed 5th in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness.
Tim Tam (1958)
Trained by H.A. Jones
June 7 - 8 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Cavan won this race easily and Tim Tam finished second by six lengths in an eight-horse field. Cavan was coming into the Belmont off a first place finish in the Peter Pan Stakes.
Pensive (1944)
Trained by Ben Jones
June 3 - 7 entered in Belmont Stakes -- Pensive leads with a quarter-mile remaining, but he loses by a half-length to Bounding Home. Pensive becomes the first to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown only to be bitten by the long run in New York. Bounding Home entered the Belmont off a second place finish in the Peter Pan Stakes.
Article ©2004 Robert Goldberg, used with permission.
 The Triple Crown trophy. Will Smarty Jones take it home this year? |
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