Two-legged stars take note

Philadelphia Inquirer: Anyone who saw the Preakness horse race on Saturday witnessed two surges.
One was on the racetrack when Smarty Jones broke from the pack; the other was in all of our hearts as he sped to his 111/2-length win.
Here is sports' newest superhero, and, Philadelphia, he is ours.
So let's feel great about Smarty -- and about ourselves, too. In a region that craves a victor the way a starving man craves a meal, he's won every race in his eight outings and earned $7.4 million in the process.
As for local heroes, this colt can stand tall with Bill Cosby, Grace Kelly and Patti LaBelle or any other hometown talent, none of whom ever went home at night to a stall in Bensalem Township.
There's something else about Smarty that's especially appealing. For all his success, this athlete has not become a selfish, temperamental, philandering, law-breaking brat.
Smarty Jones has not whined that he's underappreciated, or demanded that he be moved from Philadelphia Park to a larger media market -- New York or L.A. -- where his talents would bring lucrative promotional contracts.
Despite his strict regimen, he's eternally accommodating to the news media. He doesn't kick up a cloud of dust when faced with a contrary question, nor does he trample a photographer's camera if caught in an unflattering pose.
Role model
Beyond his public persona, this 3-year-old maintains a lifestyle that should make him a role model for people well beyond his years. This is a stud who could have any filly in Philly and yet he lives in celibacy, knowing there will be plenty of time for all of that when he grows older. For now, he is focused on the athletic task at hand.
Likewise, this worldwide celebrity, who is preparing himself for the third leg of the Triple Crown, routinely submits to drug testing without howling that it demeans him.