Living in Louisville, Kentucky assures you of one thing if nothing else: You're going to get a good dose of horse racing whether you like it or not. I happen to enjoy watching the races occassionally, but I'm not obsessed like some fans. I mean obsessed. The most ridiculous item of the week comes from the stalls of last years Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones...literally. Being a week out from the 131st running of the Kentucky Derby, horses tend to dominate the headlines in the Louisville Courier-Journal. Today the Journal reports the extent to which some fans of Smarty will go to get a taste of history (hopefully not literally):

Know this: America wants a piece of its hero. Any piece. It's not simply the broodmare owners willing to pay the $100,000 stud fee to breed to him this year.

This is more than a horse with unknown owners and an equally anonymous Average John trainer who finished one length short of history and the cover of Time magazine. This horse continues to fascinate people who love racing as well as people who follow the sport two minutes a year.

'People ask for anything,' said Erika Justus, a farm receptionist and tour guide who hosted a group of nearly 100 teachers from across America at Three Chimneys Tuesday. 'Hats. T-shirts. Pictures. Hair. Manure.'

Manure?

'Manure,' she shrugged.

The surest sign that Smarty's manure does not stink came last fall. Sandy Hatfield, stallion manager at Three Chimneys, said she found this intriguing item for bid on eBay:

Three pieces of straw from Smarty Jones' stall at Three Chimneys Farm. Final bid: $9, plus postage.

I'm still wondering how much that poop sells for. As ridiculous as the story is, there is probably some rich guy who won a load off of Smarty's wins (no pun intended) who has a big pile of it prominently displayed in a glass case over his mantle. Wanna bet?

Labels: David C. Price