Can't believe how much this hurts!

[Katrina]

If I would have boxed my superfecta it would have paid out but I guess \"if\" is the biggest word it horse racing....I quit.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

Katrina I\'ve cashed horses like Birdstone before. Lemon Drop Kid most recently. I liked him. I thought he had big chance but i really didn\'t handicap him to win. The money lost hurts. But that was a good horse that just wasn\'t quite good enough. If he\'s an affirmed or seattle slew or secretariat he wins....and he wasn\'t. He was still good enough to win like some in the recent past. But the ride and circumstances were the difference. He moved too quick. Birdstone ground him down on a better paced 12 marks. Thats all that prevented a triple crown winner. I really thought Elliot would save that horse...i can\'t believe he was on the lead at 6 marks.

[Silver Charm]

Secretariat was on the lead at six marks, Seattle Slew was on the lead at six marks, Affirmed was on the lead at six marks.

I\'m as sorry as you are he lost but that is how it works.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

I know....hes not that quality...but he could of won by rating..i\'m certain of it.  He\'ll never have to run 12 again. I\'m angry with myself for not covering ..all i had to do was invert once and i\'d of had everything...but id give all I lost five times just to have this horse win the triple. He\'s not quite up to the others I guess. But he was good enough.

[Katrina]

I thought Marylou Whitney spoke touching words after the win and although that race broke my heart, I have to admit I\'m really impressed by Edgar Prado.  Now that I\'ve regained my senses and feel about 10% better, I think Smarty gave us many weeks of excitement, drama and fun.  We shared the thrill of all the wins and in the end learned that he\'s like us never safe from the competition and strong enough to bow to the winner, even when we\'re on top of our game.  A great lesson as long as it didn\'t drain our bank accounts!  I didn\'t box any of by trifectas or superfectas because I didn\'t want money that came from his loss.  I\'m now re-thinking that - - I could have licked my wounds with that 11 grand superfecta payout, lol.  Will Smarty be in the Breeder\'s Cup?  I was going to give up on horseracing forever....but maybe just one more race!

[Silver Charm]

Kat hang in there, Smarty isn\'t the type to cheat on you.

Prado is clearly one of the real winners in this race and it is refreshing to see the loyalty factor be rewarded. He stayed with this horse after he was yanked from Eddington and Birdstone scratched on Blue Grass Day. Would not be surprised to see Bailey and Ron Anderson go by the Zito barn tomorrow and tell Nick, \"OK we will ride your horse now\".

Thats two Belmonts in three years for Prado and Bob Friez, the former agent Bailey fired and one for the backstabbing duo mentioned above. He who laughs last laughs best.

Great article by Jay Hovdey, the Secretariat of Turf Writers. I am really beginning to get the feeling this Triple Crown thing is like the Bermuda Triangle with Ship Wrecked Titans of the Turf littering the Ocean Floor.

http://www.drf.com/tc/belmont/2004/news.html#story2