August 18, 2011

In 2004, thoroughbred horse Smarty Jones was making racing news on a regular basis. Named after Milly “Smarty Jones” McNair, the mother-in-law of co-owner Pat Chapman, the three-year-old was sent to Oaklawn Park Racetrack in Hot Springs (Garland County) in 2004. There, he won three major races including the Arkansas Derby, which qualified him for the Kentucky Derby, which he also won. After winning the Preakness, Jones fell one victory short of winning the fabled Triple Crown. Jones was retired shortly afterward, ending a stellar career of eight wins and one place.