Philadelphia's Famous Athletes ....
... now include Smarty Jones from Philadelphia Park who got paid $5,854,800 today
Smarty Jones has been the Derby darling ever since he arrived in Louisville two weeks ago. And that's partly because the 3-year-old colt's biography reads like a soap-opera doozy: A Pennsylvania bred who nearly died when he slammed his head on an iron bar; a trainer and jockey based at a small-time park; owners who refused a blank check for the horse. Roy and Pat Chapman will now collect a $5 million bonus from Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., because their horse swept the Rebel Stakes, Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby. With the huge payday, Smarty Jones becomes the sixth biggest winner in racing history with earnings of $6,733,155. The 4-1 favorite paid $10.20, $6.20 and $4.80. Lion Heart paid $8.20 and $5.80. Imperialism returned $6.20 to show. Limehouse was fourth, followed by The Cliff's Edge, Action This Day, Read the Footnotes, Birdstone, Tapit, Borrego, Song of the Sword, Master David, Pro Prado, Castledale, Friends Lake, Minister Eric and Pollard's Vision. Quintons Gold Rush did not finish. ast year, Funny Cide became the first New York-bred to win the Derby. Smarty Jones becomes just the second Pennsylvania-bred -- Lil E. Tee in 1992 was the first
I hope none of you'se guys bet on Minister Eric who lives 18 miles south of here, despite the fact that Churchill Downs fav (my fav) Pat Day was riding him.
The nutball that owns the really cool farm (Tappeta Farm) where the Minister lives feeds him Guinness for breakfast, and I think he fed him one too many today.
We'll be eating well for the next few months. Sheila (unbeknownst to me) placed $100 across the board on Mr. Jones at Delaware Park, despite his lack of "dosage" (which is, of course, not a drug, its a Kentucky bloodline).
Maybe we'll parlay part of her winnings into Flyers tickets for games 5&6 against Toronto at the Wachovia Center.
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