I do see what you are saying, and yes, Smarty was tired at the end, but in general, 1 1/2 mile races are run so infrequently that it is hard to get a good gauge on them. Just look at the history of the Belmont, by itself. The times of this race, since 1990, vary from Indy's 2:26 to Thunder Gulch's 2:32. Was Indy's that good, or 'Gulch's that bad?? Smarty tired, absolutely; collapsed, absolutely not.

Ultimately, a 1 1/2 mile final figure is useless, as they never race it again, but the internals can tell you a lot. They should make the Belmont a 1 1/4 on the grass; make it like the Canadian Triple, and it might have more relevence with breeders.

Since 1979, other than 'Indy, NO winner of the Belmont has had an impact on the breed!