Smarty SOTY, not HOTY
“Smarty may not even be the best horse to race in America this year — that honor will almost certainly go to Ghostzapper, who won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in record time. But have you ever heard of Ghostzapper? I love racing, and I have no illusions about the sport ever being saved by a Triple Crown winner. It’s a boutique pastime that gets its moment in the sun every spring. For that reason, horses like Ghostzapper, with the kind of speed that comes along once in a generation, deserve to be the true champions. But horses with the crossover appeal of Smarty Jones are rare, as well. That’s why he’s my Sportsman of the Year,” writes Mark Beech. (Sports Illustrated)
