Birdstone Wins the Belmont Stakes 2004 - No Triple Crown Smarty Jones

Birdstone Takes the Title
Smarty Leads Until 100 Yards From Finish

Triple Crown Winners | Belmont Stakes Trivia

All eyes were on Smarty Jones as he raced toward history and the triple crown, but a horse race is never decided until the first horse crosses the wire and the June 5th running of the Belmont was no exception.

The miles and a half race seemed to be decided until 100 yards away from the wire when Birdstone a 36 to 1 long shot pulled up even with the favorite. When they crossed the finish line, Birdstone was a length ahead of Smarty, ending all hopes for a Triple Crown. Anyone who bet on the winner was a happy gambler. The horse paid $74 on a $2 bet.

The eager fans will have another year at least to wait for the elusive Triple Crown to be captured - the 26-year Triple Crown span is the longest since Sir Barton became the first horse to win all three prestigious races for 3-year-olds in 1919.

Birdstone, owned by Marylou Whitney Stables, was trained by Nicholas Zito and ridden by Edgar Prado.

Zito has had many 2nd place finishes in the Belmont, but when Ciff's Edge bowed out of this year's race there was not much hope that he's stand with a horse he trained in the winner's circle this year. Prado had been in the winner's circle with Sarava in 2002, but that race was not the media darling that was experienced this year.

Smarty ran a good race, but his sprinter's heritage betrayed him on the mile and a half track. Within sight of the finish, he just could not come up with the extra spurt of energy needed to leave Birdstone behind.

In all of the disappointment about Smarty Jones missing the crown by one length, don't forget the wonder of his being in a position to contend.

The celebration in the Whitney stables will be well deserved. Mary Lou Whitney and her late husband, C. V. Whitney, owned champion Silver Spoon more than 40 years ago and the stables have been long overdue for a win.

Videos of Belmont Stakes from 1930 (Gallant Fox) to 2003