The full moon had all but faded from the morning sky, and a salmon pink
sunrise was now illuminating the tan sheet-metal barns on the
Philadelphia Park backstretch. Inside Barn 11, peering out of his
once-familiar stall 38, was Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Smarty Jones.
That's
right, Kentucky Derby winner, Philadelphia Park. To many, the two may
seem as closely related as the Belle of Louisville and the Liberty Bell,
but there he was, his rich chestnut coat still glistening after a
grueling, unforgettable four-month odyssey.
Gone were the lush
green grazing areas and airy barns of Churchill Downs. Outside Barn 11,
life was as it had been back in January before he embarked on his
magical journey into history. Horses ambled about connected to automatic
hotwalking machines. Exercise riders and grooms went about their daily
chores, their thoughts light years away from the world from which Smarty
Jones had just returned...
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