Smarty Jones: A chestnut colt hero that's 'touched so many lives' since his 2004 Kentucky Derby win

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Two decades after launching his famous Triple Crown bid with a victory at the Kentucky Derby, Smarty Jones is an active stallion at the Equistar Farm in Annville, Pennsylvania, located 90 miles west of Philadelphia. And, while he’s no longer competing on the big screens, the chestnut colt remains popular.

"I gotta tell you, Smarty is doing great. He still has the same number of fans, he gets birthday presents, Christmas presents, he gets more mail than we do,” said Equistar owner Rodney Eckenrode.

Looking back, Eckenrode remembers how the hopes of championship-starved Philadelphia fans were pinned on Smarty.

"You couldn't turn on a radio or the TV in 2004 without hearing about Smarty Jones."

And even though he fell one length short of a Triple Crown, he says Smarty had nothing to be ashamed of.

"What he did in the months prior to that was unbelievable. And to finish second in the Belmont was a great feat in itself,” Eckenrode said.

"You think of meeting one of your sports heroes, you don't always think of a horse — but this horse has touched so many lives. It's just been an amazing ride."

These days, with a $3,500 stud fee, Eckenrode says Smarty is breeding about 20 to 25 mares a year.