It's remarkable to think it's already been almost 17 years since Smarty Jones came heartbreakingly close to capturing the Triple Crown. The diminutive son of Elusive Quality had remained undefeated through the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1), and after being pressured throughout the Belmont Stakes (G1), still held the lead inside the final sixteenth, only to be caught in the dying strides by Birdstone.
By a stallion who at one time held the world-record for a mile on turf, set when winning the Poker Handicap (G3T), and who was also a graded winner at seven furlongs and out of a mare by Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) victor Smile, there were valid reasons going into the Derby to question Smarty Jones's ability to get the trip, a decisive Arkansas Derby (G2) victory notwithstanding.
It's unlikely, however, that similar doubts will dog Essential Quality, who has strong pedigree ties to Smarty Jones and who—after taking the Southwest Stakes (G3) on his seasonal debut—could be just one race shy of emulating his relative by taking an undefeated record into the first classic.
Smarty Jones and Essential Quality both go back to the mare Stolen Base. A multiple stakes-placed performer in the Wheatley Stable colors, Stolen Base was by the imported Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby) victor, Herbager, out of stakes winner Bases Full. By another French horse, Ambiorix—leading sire in the U.S. in 1961—Bases Full was out of Striking, a stakes winner and Broodmare of the Year and a full sister to Busher, who earned honors as Horse of the Year, champion 2-year-old filly, champion 3-year-old filly, and champion handicap mare. Striking and Busher were granddaughters of La Troienne, whom we've said on more than one occasion was the most important mare to be imported to North America in the course of the 20th century.
Smarty Jones's granddam, Don't Worry Bout Me (a daughter of Foolish Pleasure and inbred 4x4 to Ambiorix's sire Tourbillon), gained a black-type win in the My Dear Girl Stakes over six furlongs at Hialeah. Don't Worry Bout Me produced a pair of stakes winners in Cowboy Cop (Silver Deputy), successful in the Hallandale Handicap (G3) and Gravesend Handicap (G3), and Smarty Jones's dam, I'll Get Along, who numbered the Alma North Handicap and William Parker Stakes among her 12 victories.
Essential Quality traces to Stolen Base through her daughter, Basie, heroine of the Delaware Handicap (G1). Basie begins the tightening of the connections with the pedigree of Smarty Jones, as she is by In Reality, who is also responsible for Smarty Jones maternal grandsire Smile.
As a Francis A. Genter-owned daughter of In Reality, it's not exactly a shock to find that Basie produced her best runner, Jeano—successful in five black-type events including the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G3) and Shirley Jones Handicap (G3)—to the cover of Fappiano. The highly successful Fappiano/In Reality combination gives a double of Rough'n Tumble through his most important son, the immortal Dr. Fager and his most important daughter, champion 2-year-old filly and broodmare of the year My Dear Girl. It also gives linebreeding to La Troienne through Dr. Fager's broodmare sire, Better Self, who is by La Troienne's son Bimelech out of a mare by War Admiral and thus a reverse cross to Striking (by War Admiral out of a daughter of La Troienne).
Jeano never produced a stakes winner, but four of her daughters did. Among those was Never a No Hitter, whose own daughter, Tizahit, took the Demoiselle Stakes (G2) and subsequently became dam of the Ketel One Ballerina Stakes (G1) heroine Come Dancing. Tizahit, a daughter of Tiznow, is inbred 4x4 to In Reality, and also brings in Seattle Slew, whose own dam is inbred to La Troienne via the siblings Striking and Busher. Come Dancing's pedigree further compounded things as she is by Malibu Moon and is inbred to Seattle Slew 3x5 with Malibu Moon's sire, A.P. Indy, providing another La Troienne cross via Busanda, a three-quarters sister to Busher and Striking.
Another daughter of Jeano to visit Tiznow with positive results was the unraced Storm Cat daughter Contrive. Her Tiznow daughter, Folklore, earned a victory in the Alberto VO5 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and a title of champion 2-year-old filly. Folklore has been a disappointing broodmare as far as the deeds of her offspring at the track, but her Unbridled's Song daughter, Rhodochrosite, hit the headlines as dam of the Deep Impact horse Contrail, Japan's champion 2-year-old colt of 2019 and champion 3-year-old colt and Japanese Triple Crown victor in 2020.
Contrive also visited Elusive Quality producing Delightful Quality, a filly with a very similar background to Smarty Jones. If nowhere near the close of that horse, Delightful Quality was a more than useful runner, winning twice, taking second in five black-type events, and third in the Bed o' Roses Handicap (G3). Delightful Quality's first three foals, including a current 4-year-old by Tapit , have made only one start between them. But on a second mating with Tapit, Delightful Quality produced Essential Quality. He secured the title as champion 2-year-old male last year, going three-for-three. His triumphs included the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) and the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1).
A three-time leading sire, Tapit's deeds are too well-known to need recounting here, but it's worth noting that the most recent weekend was a fairly spectacular one for him. In addition to Essential Quality's Southwest win, another Tapit son, Greatest Honour , franked his classic credentials by adding the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2); Tapit's young stallion son, Constitution , was represented by a pair of stakes winners; and two-time champion Monomoy Girl—by another Tapit son in the late Tapizar—was impressive in taking the Bayakoa Stakes (G3) on her first start at 6.
Essential Quality is one of two stakes winners from only eight starters for Tapit out of Elusive Quality mares. Overall he has 11 stakes winners from 83 starters out of Gone West line mares (13%). Tapit also brought in several strains that have worked well with the family including through A.P. Indy in Tapit's sire line and another Fappiano/In Reality combination through Unbridled, Tapit's broodmare sire. We'll also note that in addition to having La Troienne in his female line, Essential Quality has no less that 15 crosses of that mare, all through related strains.
