As the field left the final turn in the 2004 Belmont Stakes (G1), the 120,000-strong crowd was on its feet, ready to hail the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed, 26 years earlier. Having shrugged off his early challengers, the undefeated Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) hero Smarty Jones charged into the long Belmont stretch 3 lengths clear. Those not focused on the favorite, however, would have noticed that entering the turn, the 36-1 shot, Birdstone, who had raced off the pace in the early stages, was beginning to build momentum while racing four wide, and as the field straightened for home, it was clear that he was the only threat to the history-making bid. Even until late, it appeared that the duel classic winner might successfully defend his undefeated record, but Birdstone's inexorable, grinding charge saw him close the gap well inside the final furlong, powering by to prevail by a length.
Smarty Jones retired to stud after the Belmont, while Birdstone started twice more before embarking on his stud career, winning the Travers Stakes (G1), then finishing seventh in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Birdstone made an exceptional start to his stud career, with seven first-crop stakes winners from 70 foals, including Canadian champion 2-year-old male and Kentucky Derby (G1) victor Mine That Bird, and Summer Bird, Eclipse Award-winning champion 3-year-old and successful in the Belmont Stakes (G1), Travers Stakes (G1), and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). Unfortunately, after that bright start, the quality of Birdstone's output significantly diminished, and he added just 18 further stakes winners from 15 subsequent crops. Only one of those subsequent stakes winners scored at the grade 1 level in the Northern Hemisphere, that being Noble Bird, who edged out Lea by a neck in the 2015 Stephen Foster Handicap (G1), and also took the Fayette Stakes (G2), Pimlico Special Stakes (G3), and Lukas Classic.
In view of that memorable 2004 Belmont contest, there was no little irony in the fact that the Jan. 3 Smarty Jones Stakes—a step on the Road to the Triple Crown—was won by a grandson of Birdstone, this being Strategic Risk, a member of the fifth crop sired by Noble Bird. Standing at Ocala Stud from 2018 to 2024, Noble Bird has two other minor stakes winners from 91 starters from five crops of racing age.
In the Smarty Jones, Strategic Risk, who powered away to score by 4 1/2 lengths, was claiming his third victory in six starts. An 8 1/4-length winner of a Florida-bred maiden special event over 5 furlongs at Gulfstream Park, at first time of asking, Strategic Risk was a distant fourth to another weekend stakes winner, Obliteration, in the Sanford Stakes (G3) in his next try. Unplaced in the With Anticipation Stakes (G3) while trying the turf, Strategic Risk returned to state-bred company to earn third in the Florida Sire Affirmed Stakes. On his final juvenile outing, Strategic Risk tackled the FTBOA Florida Sire In Reality Stakes, stretching out to 8 1/2 furlongs, the longest trip he'd attempted on the dirt, and demonstrated his appreciation for the extra distance, scoring a dominating 9-length victory.
A brother to the Sandpiper Stakes and Cheryl S White Memorial Stakes winning filly, Strategic Bird, and to stakes placed Just Relax, Strategic Bird is one of five starters and four winners for his dam, Strategize. An unraced daughter of Afleet Alex—another who was no stranger to Triple Crown dramas, having won the Preakness Stakes after nearly falling turning for home, before adding the Belmont, where he had seven lengths to spare—Strategize is out of the beautifully-bred Strategy.
Herself successful in the Real Prize Stakes at Aqueduct, Strategy is by yet another Belmont Stakes hero in A.P. Indy and out of Educated Risk, a Mr. Prospector daughter who captured six graded stakes contests, including the Frizette Stakes (G1) and Top Flight Handicap (G1). In addition to Strategy, Educated Risky is also dam of the American 1,000 Guineas victress Consequence, and ancestress of several other stakes winners, including the First Lady Stakes (G1) winner, Simply in Front, the Natalma Stakes (G1) scorer And One More Time, Argentine grade 1 winner Evilasio, and graded winners Final Accord, Honor D Lady, Shifty She, Black Coyote, and Encanto Eloz.
Educated Risk is most notably half sister to Inside Information, champion older mare in 1995, and subsequently dam of Smuggler, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2003 (a daughter of Unbridled, who through the Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone, is grandsire of Birdstone). Strategic Bird's fourth dam, Pure Profit, is out of Clear Ceiling, dam of the English 1,000 Guineas winner Quick As Lightning, and herself a three-quarters sister to champion juveniles Bold Lad and Successor, who are out of Clear Ceiling's half sister Misty Morn, the champion 3-year-old filly and champion handicap mare of 1955, Clear Ceiling and Misty Morn both being out of Grey Flight, one of the great foundation mares of the 20th century.
