There is a statue of American Pharoah decorating the entrance to the Oaklawn Park grandstand, through which a limited but enthusiastic crowd of racing fans will pass on Saturday, April 10, for the 85th running of the Arkansas Derby (G1). The message is clear: the 2015 Triple Crown hero is clearly the most famous horse to have won any of the 84 previous versions of Oaklawn's marquee event, and nothing less than a life-size bronze could do him justice.
But what about the colt who put the Arkansas Derby on the 21st century racing map as a must-see dress rehearsal for the American classics? There is a handsome table-top bronze on display at Parx Racing, a long way from Hot Springs, and there was a Breyer horse crafted in his likeness, suitable for any horse-crazy kid's dresser, along with a handful of books, including one collection of letters from young fans. Two stakes races bear his name, one graded the other not. Otherwise, there are only memories. But man, what memories.
Most of the best recollections belong to John Servis, the man who guided Smarty Jones through a sweep of the 2004 Oaklawn 3-year-old races and to the brink of the Triple Crown. That year's Arkansas Derby served as the tipping point for the chestnut colt and his doting family, who went from a comfortable corner of the sport to the main Vegas showroom, complete with floodlights and full orchestra. A $5 million bonus will do that every time.
That is how much Smarty Jones earned for owners Roy and Pat Chapman for winning the Kentucky Derby (G1) three weeks after his victory at Oaklawn Park. In honor of its 100th season that year, Oaklawn dangled the bonus for a horse who could win the Rebel, the Arkansas Derby, and the big one in Louisville.
"Without that bonus out there, he wouldn't have gotten much attention at all," Servis said. "At the time, those Oaklawn prep races were off the map, and when we went there, I had no idea about the bonus. What I liked was the progression—from a mile, to a mile and a sixteenth, to a mile and an eighth, leading right into the mile and a quarter in Kentucky.
"The Rebel wasn't even a graded race then," Servis added. "So we had all the pressure on us in the Arkansas Derby because we had no graded earnings. We had to run one-two or we probably wouldn't have gone to Kentucky."
But they did, winning by 1 1/2 lengths over the steady closer Borrego, and then took the game on a wild ride through Louisville and Baltimore before the mile and one-half of the Belmont Stakes (G1) delivered another Triple Crown heartbreak. Syndicated for $39 million, the son of Elusive Quality never raced again, retiring with eight wins from nine indelible starts, plus the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Smarty Jones turned 20 on Feb. 28. In the 17 years since the Arkansas Derby and his march through the Triple Crown, he bounced around several breeding facilities before landing at Equistar Farm in Annville, Pa., about 55 miles from his birthplace in Chester County. His sons and daughters have included U.S. graded stakes winners Centralinteligence, Old Time Hockey, Backtalk, Cary Street, and Rogue Romance. On the occasion of the 2019 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx, his hometown track, he was paraded before an adoring crowd that included Servis and Pat Chapman.
Servis was an accessible, media-friendly trainer throughout the Smarty Jones journey, even appearing on NPR's "Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me" to answer questions that had nothing to do with horse racing (he got them all right). Servis could have rested on those considerable laurels, but he went on to win the 2005 Acorn Stakes (G1) with Round Pond, the 2016 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) with Cathryn Sophia, and the 2018 Tito's Handmade Vodka Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) with Jaywalk. Several of the best of the Smarty Jones runners have come from the Servis barn as well, including Res Judicata and Someday Jones.
Servis is nearing 1,900 career wins while rarely starting more than 400 horses a year. John's sons, Blane and Tyler Servis, have started training careers of their own, operating out of Parx and racing on the Mid-Atlantic circuit. But for the past year, a google search of "John Servis" is just as likely to link stories to his older brother, Jason Servis, who has been indicted on federal charges involving illegally obtained and labeled drugs administered to the horses he trained, among them champion Maximum Security .
There even has been the occasional conflation of their names in print, or a photo of one of John's horses identified as Jason's. Servis has weathered the storm with class.
"I spent a little time with him last month," Servis said of his brother. "He can't say anything, but he's doing all right. He's just waiting for things to go to court to find out what happens next.
"It's a shame, and it's been hard on me, but I'm 62," Servis said. "I feel really bad for my boys because they have to carry that name. Even Tyler, when he runs horses in New York and they win, you get people on Twitter saying the same old shit, 'He must have his uncle's juice.' But you can't get around that."
Visiting the sins of one generation upon another is one of human nature's oldest and most dishonorable pastimes. Better we should forever be associated with the best of the Thoroughbreds in our experience.
"I still get people coming up to me and asking about Smarty Jones," Servis said. "His impact was incredible."
No kidding. On a 2007 wine-tasting holiday to California's Napa Valley, Servis and his wife, Sherry, made a pilgrimage to the Opus One winery founded by Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi. This is the equivalent of stopping by the Louve to admire the Winged Victory.
They were not expected, however, and tour reservations were required. But as they were about to give up the concierge noticed the large piece of jewelry worn by Servis that had a definite championship vibe. It was a Kentucky Derby ring the trainer had custom made, two years before it became a Churchill Downs tradition.
"It that a sports ring?" the concierge asked.
"As a matter of fact it is," Servis replied.
"Really! For what?"
"The Kentucky Derby."
"Oh, man," he said. "I'm a big horse racing fan. What year?"
"Two-thousand four."
"Smarty Jones?"
"Yeah."
"Are you John Servis?"
"Yes, I am."
"Oh, my god! Sit right there. I'll be right with you."
There followed a private tour and as much Opus One as John and Sherry Servis could sample. Courtesy of Smarty Jones.
