Stewart Elliott, a native of Toronto , Canada , has been the leading jockey for the last three seasons at Philadelphia Park . This journeyman, who began his career here at Philadelphia Park in 1981 at the age of 16, is Smarty Jones' jockey.

39 year old Stewart is the first Canadian-born jockey to win the Derby since Ron Turcotte aboard Secretariat in 1973. He has over 3,300 lifetime victories to date, which includes races at Suffolk Downs in Massachusetts, Rockingham in New Hampshire, Florida, and Maryland.

His father, Dennis, had been a jockey in Hong Kong for six years. With a jockey father and a show-horse rider mother, he is certainly no stranger to the racetrack life. “I don't know nothing else. This is it for me,” says Stewart.

No truer words have been said: this year really is IT for Stewart's true-blooded fighter of a horse. Visibly way ahead of the slew of three-year-olds to grace the sport recently, Smarty Jones has markedly outdone his share of challengers across breeds in the most important races of 2004.

On May 1, Smarty Jones conquered the first of the “Big 3” races: the 130 th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. He whipped colts The Cliff's Edge and Lion Heart, who had both run extremely fast figures at the Blue Grass Stakes in Keeneland, to finish as champion at the Derby.

Remaining undefeated, he seized a second championship win on May 15 at the 129 th Preakness Stakes in Pimlico at Baltimore . At the Preakness race, Smarty Jones crushed not only Derby runner-up Lion Heart but also new shooters Rock Hard Ten and Eddington.

The 136 th running of the Belmont Stakes takes place on June 5 in Elmont , New York . It is the third and final step to the Triple Crown and, already 2/3 victorious, this horse is not taking it all in stride. The Belmont Stakes is Smarty Jones' bid to win the sport of horse racing's first Triple Crown in over 25 years, and not to mention, the $5 million Visa Triple Crown bonus.

Smarty Jones is no doubt the Triple Crown favorite, and all for good reason. He holds an impressive record of eight consecutive wins to date, at eight different distances, spanning 6 furlongs to 1 ¼ miles. He boasts an outstanding average margin of victory at some 6 lengths per race. Exhibiting outstanding acceleration and cruising speeds clinched by that breathtaking turn of foot, he is an absolute winner at every known pace.

What makes it all sweeter are the avid fans rooting for this amazing champ, even eliciting a forecast of record TV numbers for the Belmont Stakes.

His is a conquest that extends beyond the racetracks to the hearts of people who have followed his quite cinematic career, from lows to highs, from tragedy to victory.

In life, where strife builds character, where the strong make champions and heroes, the great sport of horse racing will always resonate with the name: Smarty Jones.