“We Feel Horrible”
January 8th, 2004by Jude T. Feld
Birdstone and Smarty Jones
Skip Dickstein Photo
Racing’s greatness is grounded in the fact that it spans the gamut of emotion from the much-advertised “thrill of victory to the agony of defeat.” A throng of over 115,000 fans traveled to Elmont, New York for the 136th running of the Belmont Stakes, with no intention of cashing a ticket, but fully expecting to witness Someday Farm’s Smarty Jones become the twelfth winner of the Triple Crown and the first to win Visa’s $5,000,000 bonus. On paper, it looked like a cinch.
To most in attendance, Smarty Jones seemed to have it all wrapped up as he turned into the stretch, but any racing aficionado who spied the Whitney Eton blue and brown silks moving on the turn, knew the race was just beginning.
As Birdstone loomed a danger to Smarty Jones nearing the eighth pole, the crowd went from being as pumped up and happy as the Goodyear blimp, to crashing and burning like the Hindenburg. When Edgar Prado nudged his diminutive colt passed Smarty and Stuart Elliott in the closing strides, the grandstand fell silent.
Listening to the post race interviews, given by the two great ladies who owned the top two finishers, it became evident that this was the first Belmont Stakes to end with the agony of victory and the thrill of defeat.
The moment was not lost on the Honorable George Pataki, Governor of the great state of New York.
“Let me say something about Marylou Whitney,” said the Governor in his opening remarks at the trophy presentation. “Her horse won this race and the first words out of her were, ‘We feel horrible.'”
Mrs. Whitney and her husband John Hendrickson are no strangers to the winners’ circle in major races. Always smiling and gracious, it is obvious they take delight in winning with a horse from the breeding program they have developed together. This time though, it was a little different.
“John and I really didn’t expect to win this race,” Mrs. Whitney stated. “We were hoping we might come in second because we love Smarty Jones. I think he’s one of the greatest things that’s happened to racing in all the many, many years I’ve been in it. He’s a great racehorse and he’ll be back.”
“We’re just thrilled to win this race,” she continued. “But we feel awful that the crowd came here to watch Smarty Jones. It’s sort of a happy and sad note for us…Everyone loves Smarty Jones, but maybe they’ll start loving Birdstone.”
Patricia Chapman and her husband Roy had one hell of a run with Smarty Jones, who had never been beaten in eight starts, including the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, but there were no sour grapes being stomped in the Chapman box at Belmont Park.
“I’m feeling disappointed for the fans of America,” Mrs. Chapman said. “But I’m feeling that we were beaten today by a better horse. I wish I could be down there to say personally to Marylou and John and Nick Zito, ‘Congratulations from all of the Chapman family.’ They ran a wonderful race. I’m disappointed that we don’t have a Triple Crown winner this time but we still have a heckuva horse. Being second in the Belmont ain’t all bad and we’re on our way back to Philadelphia.”
Handicappers have termed “class” the ability to successfully carry top weight a distance of ground. If it ever was in question, Marylou Whitney and Patricia Chapman proved on June 5, 2004 that like their colts Birdstone and Smarty Jones, they are top class. Thoroughbred owners like them are one of the many reasons that horse racing is truly the greatest game.
