Smarty Jones runs away from Preakness field

The undefeated colt won by a record 111/2 lengths.
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Smarty Jones blazed into the lead turning for home and won the Preakness by a record 111/2 lengths on Saturday, setting the stage for a dramatic Triple Crown try at the Belmont Stakes in three weeks.
The undefeated colt has a chance to become just the 12th Triple Crown champion and the first to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont since Affirmed in 1978.
He would also claim another $5 million bonus and become racing's richest horse.
As he cruised past Lion Heart around the far turn, Smarty Jones turned on the afterburners and clobbered nine rivals in running his record to 8-for-8. In doing all that, he added another amazing chapter to racing's feel-good story of the year.
Patented run for home
The crowd at Pimlico roared as jockey Stewart Elliott asked Smarty Jones for his patented run for home. The Pennsylvania-bred responded by moving to the inside of pacesetter Lion Heart and pulling away.
The margin of victory topped the record of 10 lengths by Survivor in 1873, in the first Preakness.
"He's just unbelievable. He just keeps getting better, this son of a gun," Elliott said. "I mean, he just did it so easy."
While Lion Heart faded in the stretch and finished fourth, Rock Hard Ten finished second, with Eddington third. Imperialism was fifth, followed by Sir Shackleton, Borrego, Little Matth Man, Song of the Sword and Water Cannon.
Winning time for the 13/16th-mile race was 1:55.59, well off the record of 1:53.40 held by Louis Quatorze (1996) and Tank's Prospect (1985).
The overpowering win put in place some mind-boggling possibilities for the chestnut colt who has captured America's fancy -- as Funny Cide did last year before his Triple Crown bid fell short in the Belmont.
Sixth in last eight years
Smarty Jones will be the sixth horse in the last eight years with a Triple chance, but there's a big difference this time around: he's is the only one who hasn't lost.
"He came through for America. I'm so impressed with his effort," trainer John Servis said. "I knew he had to bring his best game. I knew this was the toughest race he was going to be in, in a long time. And he brought it. He brought it big time."
A win in the 11/2-mile Belmont and Smarty Jones would join Seattle Slew as the only horses to win the Triple Crown with an unbeaten record. Smarty, like Slew in 1977, would be 9-for-9.
Could become richest
The son of Elusive Quality would also surpass Cigar as the richest racehorse in North America. Smarty would earn a $5 million bonus from Visa with a Triple Crown sweep. Add his purse money, plus the $5 million bonus he already earned from Oaklawn Park for winning the Rebel Stakes, Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby, and Smarty's total would top $13 million. Cigar earned $9,999,815.
Sent off as the 3-5 favorite, Smarty Jones made a mockery of the field. He seemed to dawdle behind Lion Heart around the first turn and along the backstretch. In a race that was almost identical to the one at Churchill Downs two weeks ago, Elliott decided when it was time to reel in Lion Heart. He moved a little earlier this time as Lion Heart raced wide, and the crowd began cheering in anticipation.
"I got goosebumps myself," Servis said. "I'm really, really happy with it."
"I had another gear left. Unfortunately, when I hit the other gear, Smarty Jones hit about four more gears," Stevens said, "I'm just basically running for second."