The Weblog of Daniel Tashian

At first it seemed like he had it in the bag. He broke well, headed into the first turn with what appeared to be a measured confidence, shrugging off both Purge and Rock Hard Ten. He established his lead undeniably by the start of the final turn…but then, the unbelievable happened…the unmentionable…at the last second, hopes were dashed, hearts broken and dreams shattered. The Triple Crown was eluded once again as Smarty Jones was beaten by a length by Birdstone. The 36 to 1 upset! This was a riveting horserace, folks! You couldn’t ask for a better race, or a more worthy winner. Yes, of course I would have liked to see Smarty win, but I felt so sorry for the wonderful woman who owned Birdstone, who, with incredible composure and poise actually had to apologize to the crowd! She said that she had hoped for second place, so that everyone’s hopes for Smarty wouldn’t be shattered. People continued to boo as she accepted the trophy. I wish they would have applauded these marvellous animals for their unbelievable performance! All the animals on the track at Belmont today we’re magnificent horses! Any one of them is a miraculous creation! But the crowd was so focused on winning and the Smarty Jones phenomenon that they lost sight of the beauty of the sport. Horseracing is not about picking a hero, rallying behind him, then boo-ing when he loses. It’s about these spectacular animals, the element of surprise, and ultimately, the survival of the fittest. I love Smarty Jones, and the attention he has brought through his name, background, and performance, to what I feel is a beautiful sport, but I felt that the outcome of the race today was just what it should have been. Smarty has already proven that he’s a champion, he doesn’t need to ever race again to prove that. But the Triple Crown is like Excalibur: when the right horse is ready to win, it will pull the sword from the stone. This wasn’t Smarty’s fate. But no man, woman, horse or jockey should ever have to apologize for winning the Belmont! That’s an extraordinary achievement, and I’m sure Smarty feels no shame or sadness about losing. He doesn’t even care at all! So, way to go Birdstone! It was your race, and you claimed it. And whether you win or lose, 1st place or last, you’re a good horse, Smarty Jones!