Owned by Roy ‘Chappy’ Chapman and his wife, Patricia – after whose late mother, Milly ‘Smarty Jones’ McNair, he was named – Smarty Jones is best remembered for winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 2004, but failing by just a length to win the American Triple Crown. Foaled at Fairthorne Farm, Pennsylvania on February 28, 2001, Smarty Jones was originally destined to be handled by Robert ‘Bobby’ Camac, but following his murder on December 6, 2001, the Chapmans turned instead to little-known trainer John Servis.
Smarty Jones won his first race, a maiden special weight over six furlongs at Philadelphia Park, by 7¾ lengths on November 9, 2003 and followed up, by 15 lengths, in the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes, over seven furlongs at Turf Paradise two weeks later. He spent the winter at Oakland Park, Arkansas, where the racecourse authority introduced a $5 million bonus for any horse that won the Rebel Stakes, Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby.
Ridden by Canadian-born jockey Stewart Elliott, as he was on all nine career starts, Smarty Jones duly won the Rebel Stakes by 3¼ lengths and the Arkansas Derby by 1½ lengths to give his connections a chance of winning the bonus. Sent off favourite at Churchill Downs on May 1, 2004, he took over from the trailblazing Lion Heart approaching the final furlong and was ridden out to win by 2¾ lengths. In so doing, he became the first unbeaten Kentucky Derby since Seattle Slew in 1977 and made Elliott the first first jockey for 25 years to win the ‘Run for the Roses’ at the first attempt.
An impressive, 11½-length victory in the Preakness Stakes was followed by defeat by the largely unconsidered Birdstone in the Belmont Stakes to bring his career to a less-than-perfect end. Nevertheless, Smarty Jones won eight of his nine races and, including the $5 million bonus, over £7.6 million in total prize money.