Superstitious fan skipping Belmont, lucky for Smarty

0 Comments | USA TODAY, June, 2004 | by Jon Saraceno

While wondering about Smarty Jones . . .

I am superstitious, at least when it comes to anything to do with sports. Sometimes I write columns wearing the same underwear for weeks, which doesn't exactly make me real popular in my own house.

True story: A couple of weeks ago, I stepped on the carpeted Tampa Bay Lightning logo inside their dressing room. "Watch it!" someone shrieked. I looked around like a guilty moron, hoping no players or coaches saw my gaffe. So far, I've avoided the $50 in-house fine and the Lightning remain very much alive against Calgary in the Stanley Cup finals.

Once, many years ago, I watched an undefeated horse win the first leg of the Triple Crown. His name was Seattle Slew . But the only two times that I've gone to the Belmont Stakes,...