Smarty's Vacation is Over; Work Begins Next Week

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Smarty Jones' vacation ends soon as the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner will begin serious workouts early next week in preparation for the Sept. 6 Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) at Philadelphia Park.

"He galloped like a bear today," trainer John Servis said Friday, July 23, noting that the Elusive Quality   colt will breeze next Monday or Tuesday for the first time since finishing second to Birdstone in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). "His gallops have been getting a lot stronger and he has been getting a lot more out of his gallops. I will work him Monday or Tuesday."

Servis said the fever and slightly elevated white blood cell count that Smarty experienced recently were a minor setback and were likely caused by vaccination that the classic winner and all the horses in his barn at Philadelphia were administered.

Although Smarty Jones was one of 45 nominees to the Super Derby (gr. II) at Louisiana Downs on Sept. 25, the colt is still being pointed toward the Pegasus Stakes (gr. II), tentatively scheduled for Oct. 1 at Meadowlands Racetrack, to be followed by the Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge, at Texas' Lone Star Park on Oct. 30. If the Pegasus is not run Oct. 1, it would be scheduled for the second weekend of October, according to a spokeswoman for the Meadowlands.

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