Okay, that wasn't even CLOSE.

That shattering noise you heard at 6:17 PM EST was the sound of Smarty Jones winning the Preakness by TWELVE LENGTHS-- a record-breaking margin. Gary and Rock Hard Ten ran second, and honestly, I cannot be upset about this. A sweating and stunned Gary after the race: "I went to another gear, but Smarty Jones had four more." RHT was an SOB at the gate, absolutely refusing to load to the point where Gary actually had to climb off until after they finally got that monster in, something I've never seen him do before. (These post-time hysterics prompted a telephone call from Flipper and Gail: "Is this somehow your fault too?") By that time he finally loaded, the Rock was washy (sweating) and generally agitated, so I think that little to-do took something out of him, but there was still no WAY he was beating Smarty this afternoon. Final word on this one: DEAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!