Though his valiant quest for the Triple Crown fell a length short, Smarty Jones remains the most popular horse racing, and he is expected to finish off his 3-year-old campaign in Texas this year. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes-winning son of Elusive Quality is being targeted for the October 30 $4-million Breeders' Cup Classic (Gr. I), powered by Dodge, at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie.

Following his second place finish behind Birdstone on Saturday in the Belmont Stakes (Gr. I), Smarty Jones will get about a month off. Then, he will resume serious training and have one or two races leading up to the Breeders' Cup Classic. Possible targets include the Haskell Invitational (Gr. I) at Monmouth Park and the Pennsylvania Derby (Gr. III) at his home track of Philadelphia Park. Trainer John Servis also said a meeting with older horses prior to the Breeders' Cup was likely.

Smarty Jones became the sixth horse in the last eight years to go into the Belmont Stakes with a chance to sweep the Triple Crown and fail to do so. The others were Funny Cide (2003), War Emblem (2002), Charismatic (1999), Real Quiet (1998) and Silver Charm (1997). Thoroughbred horse racing has not seen a Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.