In honor of this weekend’s Arkansas Derby, we take a look back at the 2004 running, which occurred 11 years ago today, where Smarty Jones stamped himself as Derby favorite and took another step towards a $5 million bonus.
Everyone remembers Smarty’s Kentucky Derby win, Preakness romp, and valiant Belmont effort. But what is not written about nearly as much, were his two wins at Oaklawn in early 2004 which put him in line to win a $5 million bonus by capturing the Kentucky Derby. 2004 marked Oaklawn’s 100 years anniversary, and to do something big to honor the centennial, Charles Cella, the owner of Oaklawn, offered a $5 million bonus to any horse who would win the Rebel, the Arkansas Derby, and the Kentucky Derby. It seemed like a nice promotion but also a safe bet as only one horse had ever completed that trifecta–Sunny’s Halo in 1983.
But as Smarty drew clear at Churchill on a rainy first Saturday in May, Oaklawn’s little promotion, turned into a big pay day for Smarty and his connections, while keeping Oaklawn in the spot light over a month after its meet ended. And no one (other than Smarty’s owners, presumably) seemed happier about it than Cella.
“I have been around horse racing for more than 50 years and have seen a lot of the sport’s greatest races, but watching Smarty Jones pull away for the win in Kentucky was the greatest sports moment I have ever witnessed,” Cella said. “I wanted that horse to win as much as anybody. We feel as though he has become part of our family and I think I can speak for all Arkansas horse racing fans in echoing the same sentiments. He has become a true Arkansas sports hero and no state appreciates its sports heroes with greater affection than Arkansas.”
Incentives have always been a popular tool used by race tracks to attract top talent and generate a buzz. Some might question whether the value of these incentives is worth the cost of the policy, and a true assessment of their success may be difficult to ascertain. On the one hand, today, when people remember Smarty, his Arkansas Derby win, or even the big bonus, do not immediately come to mind. On the other hand, the promotion delivered Oaklawn a star colt, increased the profile of the race, provided a great story to tell on the 100 year anniversary, and generated marketing material to last for the track’s lifetime. I’d be interested to hear whether Oaklawn officials believe they received sufficient bang for their buck.
As for a recount of the 2004 Arkansas Derby, we’ll leave that to the replay where you can watch Smarty hold on for a two length win.
And to get a sense of the buzz surrounding Smarty following his win at Oaklawn, here is a day after the race article from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in Little Rock.
Enjoy the 2015 Arkansas Derby and an otherwise star studded weekend of racing from Oaklawn.
