"My horse has been running strong the last few races, and you always have to worry about fresh horses," Elliott said. "I expect a big effort, but this could be his toughest race."
Servis, Elliott and owners Ray and Pat Chapman can only hope that Smarty Jones has enough strength left to come up with one -- perhaps two -- more strong performances.
``He's had a hard year and he's run hard all year long,'' Servis said. ``I just keep wondering when the day comes that I walk in here and see that he's worn out.''
That's been a major concern for Servis. Smarty Jones will run his sixth race of the year today. If he fails to win he will receive a long overdue rest.
"If he gets beat in the Preakness, I guarantee he won't run in the Belmont," Servis declared. "He's had a long haul since January."
And there's no stopping now.
"The horse is doing real good and I've got a real good rider," Servis said. "The question from here is: Is he good enough?"
Winning the Kentucky Derby brought attention to Smarty Jones jockey Stewart Elliott. Not all of it has been positive.
Since his victory, details of his troubled past have come to light. He pleaded guilty to charges stemming from fights with a friend and a former girlfriend, and was fined US$1,000 on Thursday for omitting mention of the misdeeds in his application for a license to ride in the Derby.
"I kind of thought they might dig up some of my bad stuff," Elliott said on Friday, a day before he was to ride Smarty Jones in the Preakness.
"I have nothing to hide," he said. "I've had a lot of personal problems and I've done some things that I'm not proud of, but that's behind me. I want to just look ahead to the future and hopefully all that mess is behind me."
Elliott attributed his difficulties to alcohol abuse.
"All of it because of that," he said. "The people I was with, they were all the same."
Elliott said he's been sober since October 2000.
ZITO'S BACKUP
Nick Zito will go deep into his stable for Sir Shackleton in the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course today. The trainer started the winter with a barn full of strong Triple Crown contenders including Eurosilver, Birdstone and The Cliff's Edge.
Illness, injury and poor performances depleted Zito's pool of 3-year-olds.
The Cliff's Edge, the Blue Grass Stakes winner, was the latest loss. Zito scratched him from the Preakness on Friday morning due to a foot abscess.
That leaves Sir Shackleton, the winner of the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs. The victory was the colt's third straight, but none were longer than one mile. The Preakness is 1,900m.
BAFFERT LIKES SMARTY
Bob Baffert played Preakness handicapper on Friday and picked Smarty Jones to win the race.
``I like the way John Servis has trained that horse,'' said Baffert, a four-time Preakness winner who does not have an entrant this year. ``He's doing a great job. Smarty Jones is a beautiful, well-balanced horse.''
Baffert envisions Lion Heart setting the pace and Smarty Jones passing him down the stretch.
"Lion Heart will lead him to a spot and he will pass the baton," Baffert said.
While picking the favorite to win, Baffert likes long shot Borrego for second.
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