Elliott gets Espy nomination

Stewart Elliott, who rode Smarty Jones to victories in this year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness before finishing second in the Belmont Stakes, is among four nominees for the 2004 Espy award for best jockey, ESPN has announced.

Also nominated was Edgar Prado, who was aboard the Belmont winner, Birdstone, and who won the 2003 George Woolfe Award from The Jockeys' Guild.

Jerry Bailey, the Espy-winning jockey in 1996 and 1997, was nominated again this year, as was Alex Solis, who rode two winners in last year's Breeders' Cup: Pleasantly Perfect in the Classic and Johar, who dead-heated with High Chaparral in the Turf.

The winner will be determined by popular vote, accessible via the Internet at espn.go.com/espy2004 through July 9. The Espys will be presented July 14 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood and telecast July 18 at 9 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.