Turn Out the Lights, Smarty’s Over

Smarty Jones lost his bid for the Triple Crown not because he didn’t “settle,” as trainer John Servis complained, but because Birdstone sat out the Preakness and was fresher, jockey Edgar Prado positioned Birdstone to overtake Smarty and jockey Stewart Elliott in the final 70 yards, and veteran trainer Nick Zito knows Belmont better than his counterpart. In fact, Smarty Jones did actually settle, but it was for second.

Dan Anzel

Los Angeles

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The Times’ horse racing expert, Bob Mieszerski, keeps me reminded why the only horses I’ll risk money on are going up, down and around on a merry-go-round. And, Bob, I guess that trainer Nick Zito did not have to make that many excuses for his first and third finishes in the Belmont Stakes.

Fred Niemann

La Canada Flintridge