Smarty's run has fans' hearts racing

NEW YORK -- Smarty Jones can't talk, write or read. He's a horse, of course.

But that isn't stopping Americans from sending thousands of letters and e-mails to the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner.

Much of the correspondence -- addressed to Smarty -- is from kids intrigued by the colt's cool name and inspired by his hard-luck life.

They know how Smarty was nearly killed when he smashed his head in the starting gate. And that he's undefeated in eight career races. And how he'll try to win Saturday's Belmont Stakes and become racing's first Triple Crown champion since Affirmed in 1978.

"Kids are great. They just say how they feel," trainer John Servis said.

His wife showed him one letter decorated around the edges with dollar signs.

"The kid said, 'Smarty Jones, you're making so much money -- send me som money,' " Servis said. "It's really cute."

Servis puts the notes and cards on display boards at Philly Park, Smarty's home track. There's so many, he sent out for 10 more boards.

"It's amazing how many letters we're getting from people thanking us for the horse. It's great," he said.

Initially, Servis opened the letters expecting that people wanted something from him. He was pleasantly surprised.

"It's just thanking us and how much they love the horse and how much America is appreciating it and enjoying the story," he said. "We hope we can keep it rolling for one more race."

Servis has responded to a few hundred fans despite a hectic schedule of training and racing all his horses, not just Smarty Jones.

"We'll try to get back to all of them eventually," he said. "It might take some time, but we're going to do it."

Servis was particularly touched by an e-mail from an 11-year-old Florida boy who was born with a rare skeletal muscle condition. Beach Cutler breathes through a ventilator and receives food and liquids through a button attached to his stomach. He relies on a wheelchair to get around, when he isn't doing physical therapy.

The red-haired, blue-eyed boy has followed horse racing for three years and "he's crazy about Smarty," said his mother, Sue Ellen Cutler of Captiva Island.

Beach Cutler wrote:

"I watched you win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, and I think you will win the Belmont, too. I am so excited. You have inspired me to run like a race horse while walking with my physical therapist. And when I walk in the pool with my mom, my nurse times me when I'm pretending to race. I even whinny like a horse. You've lifted my spirits."

In his e-mail, Beach suggested that next time Smarty's shoes are changed, perhaps one could be saved for him.

"That would be GREAT!" he wrote. "And please let your owner, Mr. Chapman, know that we are also cheering for him to be in the best of health. I hope this letter gets to you, and that you know how much your incredible horse spirit has done for everyone. Happy racing. Love, Beach."

Servis called the boy and sent him a package containing an autographed photo of Smarty Jones and jockey Stewart Elliott from the Kentucky Derby; horse cards featuring Smarty's statistics; and an autographed copy of Smarty's Sports Illustrated cover. Servis also enclosed a card and some money for the boy whose birthday was May 29.

Servis and his wife have two young sons.

"John has been an exceptionally compassionate and warm human being," Sue Ellen Cutler said. "When he did call, his voice was just as nice as he looks in his pictures. He's a person with an incredible heart."

Beach, Sue Ellen and her husband Stephen will watch Saturday's race on television, rooting madly for Smarty Jones. She said Beach plans to use his birthday money from Servis to place his first Internet wager on Smarty.

"It's one of those stories where the underdog ends up becoming the top dog. He is the little horse that could and did," Sue Ellen Cutler said. "It's very good medicine for the whole country. We need all the good news we can get these days."