It has been greater than 20 years because the tales of Humorous Cide and Smarty Jones captured the hearts of America throughout a couple of consecutive years of heroic triple crown bids. Now their tales are formally intertwined by means of the sons of riders who received their Kentucky Derby and Preakness stakes.
Smarty Jones was one of many high riders on the Texas and Oklahoma circuits on the age of 60, and simply received his fifth driving title at Sam Houston Race Park this winter, driving veteran Jockey Stewart Elliott. In April 2024, he was joined by his son, Christopher, in Jock’s room.
The 19-year-old received 141 races till July thirtieth, and just lately graduated from apprentice to Journeyman, incomes a profitable profession. After beginning his three-month driving profession in Texas, he moved to the Mid-Atlantic final summer season and was on an everyday experience on the New York Circuit by winter. Driving his first summer season on the Saratoga race course, he received his first stakes victory at Leon Blue and Spa on the Rick Violet Stakes on July seventeenth.
“That is the place everybody needs to be, but when I stated I would be right here a 12 months in the past, I would not consider it,” Elliot stated. “I really feel like I’ve made loads of progress in a short while.”
One of many secrets and techniques of his success comes within the type of his hardworking agent, Jose Santos Jr.
The pair first met in 2013 at Keeneland, the place Elliott was solely seven years outdated. Just a few years later, whereas working as an agent for David Cabrera and Freddie Manrique in Texas, Santos Jr. reunited with Elliott and commenced studying learn how to experience.
“His dad was on there and (Chris) was studying learn how to experience a pony,” recalled Santos Jr. “They stated he would in the future change into a rider. I checked out him when he noticed him within the pony.
That first race occurred on April 21, 2024 at Lone Star Park, the Maiden Race of the $7,500 claimant. Elliott was driving Lou Mo Starter, the longest shot on the board, main him to the victory with a 3¾ size.
“I knew he had a piece ethic, so he regarded actually good in his first race,” Santos Jr. stated. “I wished to work with him. I do know not solely as a rider, however the household he got here from. It is crucial to spherical out the rounds, particularly at his age.”
Inside seconds of crossing the wire, Elliott’s cellphone went again to Jock’s room and a message from Santos Jr. requested if he wanted an agent.
“Once I noticed the textual content, I stated, ‘Wow, top-of-the-line brokers within the sport requested me to work with you,'” Elliott stated. “I knew him as a result of he labored with David Cabrera, they had been doing very properly. He knew there have been riders all around the nation.
Elliott joins a bunch of successful riders and continues to impress Santos Jr. together with his considering and work ethic.
“He hasn’t modified since we first began working collectively,” Santos Jr. stated. “He was 18 and lived alone in New York. He was 19 in Saratoga. He is identical individual. His mother and father did unimaginable jobs.
Santos Jr. is acquainted with Stewart Elliott and his spouse Lilibeth, on condition that Smarty Jones’ triple crown is nearer to Humorous Cide.
“(Smarty Jones) was cool to observe,” Santos Jr. stated. “My dad simply received the Derby and completed fourth at Limehouse in that (2004) Derby, and I used to be following that fairly intently.
Smarty Jones is at present in Saratoga as they’re set to result in the Nationwide Racing Museum and Corridor of Fame Museum on August 1st. Santos and Elliott households had the chance to take pleasure in dinner on July twenty ninth, and the 2 Derby and Playness winners jockeys traded the story of the Triple Crown Escapede.
“It is enjoyable to see them speak about it,” Santos Jr. stated. “Our dad was speaking about their triple crown expertise, and it is so cool.
“It was a bit cool to have a back-to-back years of enjoyable Cide and Smarty Jones. It was loads of enjoyable to have horses that made smaller connections and bred within the state which might be Derby champions.”
The tales that every son heard from his father are in all probability what they’ve heard many instances earlier than. Born in 2006, Elliott missed his father’s 2004 Triple Crown Run and Good Jones, however he realized that horses had been necessary to his household.
“Everybody was speaking about it on a regular basis,” Elliott stated. “Everybody who met my dad, that was the primary horse they advised him. I knew instantly, and I watched races many instances. My dad and I’ll speak about him at the very least as soon as every week.”
In the meantime, Santos Jr. received the total expertise on the age of eight as humorous Cide received the Kentucky Derby and Preakness victory in 2003.
“That is the top of the race,” Santos Jr. stated. “You possibly can expertise it on the age I did – after I absolutely understood and appreciated what was happening, I felt like I had a very good understanding of what horse racing was. It was unimaginable and actually introduced our household very shut.”
The necessary function that each horses play all through the race just isn’t misplaced in Santos Jr. or Elliott.
“You speak to folks on a regular basis they usually know who the humorous Cide and Smarty Jones are,” Santos Jr. stated. “You will be stunned. It is superb what lots of people who went to horse racing for the humorous Cide and Smarty Jones inform you. They had been actually good tales, in order that they actually uncovered the sport. Everybody wished to find out about it.
The thrilling second of capturing America captured the Ryder’s sons, as each continued in his father’s footsteps.
“I used to be all the time on the racetrack and I watched my dad every single day,” Elliott stated. “That is the large a part of it, and that is why I am on the experience.”
Santos retired from horse driving in 2007 and have become a jockey agent. In 2010 he took over Belmont Stakes-winning rider Fernando Jara. When he was 14, Santos Jr. picked up his love for work by supporting his father in the summertime. At age 16, he started working part-time as an agent. By the age of 19 he was working full time.
“He did not know learn how to learn the conditional guide, so he would ask him to take notes as a result of he knew learn how to learn it,” Santos Jr. stated. “He stated, ‘I’ll pay you for each horse I win.’ When the summer season is over, it is about to do in my life.
Santos at present represents eight riders throughout the nation: Elliott, Jara, Manriquet, Julian Reparoo, Rail Gutierrez, Emmanuel Esquibel, Victor Espinoza and Rene Diaz.
Santos Jr. and Elliott really feel a accountability to guard the legacy of the attention-grabbing Cide and Smarty Jones tales of their distinctive story of how their household historical past is tied collectively. In reality, they hope to have the ability to add collectively.
“The (Kentucky Derby) is a race the place each jockey desires of successful,” Elliott stated. “That is the last word purpose.”
“The reminiscence I’ll always remember is standing in that infield and watching the Churchill crowd for a trophy presentation,” Santos Jr. stated. “That is the sensation I would like as soon as once more. I believe that is what we’re all chasing right here. In fact, we love the times, however that is the top. That is the purpose of getting again there.
“That is one thing I have been making an attempt to do ever since.”
