Smarty Jones, a homebred by Elusive Quality --I'll Get Along, by Smile goes for racing history Saturday, attempting to become just the 12th winner of the Triple Crown. The undefeated colt, who has already earned $7,413,155, could add a $5-million Visa Triple Crown bonus with a Belmont Stakes (gr. I) victory.
The decision on where Smarty Jones will stand at stud should be made within the month, according to George Isaacs, who is acting as the liaison between Roy and Patricia Chapman and stud farm operators in Kentucky bidding for Smarty Jones' services.Isaacs, the general manager of Bridlewood Farm in Ocala, Fla., was asked by the Chapmans after the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) to handle the negotiations. Arthur Appleton's Bridlewood Farm was where the Derby and Preakness (gr. I) winner was broken as a yearling. According to Isaacs, any deal includes three criteria."One, the Chapmans want to make sure that the horse doesn't overbreed where he goes," Isaacs said. "Two, the farm has to have a very open-door visitor's policy. If the horse does win the Triple Crown, he has to be available to the public on a needed basis. Three, if the horse continues to race at the highest level, he'll run on as a 4-year-old."Isaacs said the final negotiations will hopefully be concluded within a month of the Belmont. He also said the horse will stand at a farm in Kentucky. He refused to name names, but said, "basically it's a who's who of Kentucky farms that have expressed interest."If he doesn't win the Belmont, Isaacs said "He's still a very wanted commodity" and negotiations would "continue to take place on finding him a new home."