This time last year an equine star was born…and we’re not talking about American Pharoah.  Instead, we’re talking about his track pony, Smokey, the buckskin Quarter Horse with a golden, dappled coat and the demeanor that drew crowds to him.

I got to know more about “Smokey the Pony” when I wrote a profile piece for the National Reining Horse Association’s The Reiner magazine. It was a piece of a lifetime, since I got to talk with Bob Baffert (one of my favorite Thoroughbred racing trainers) and Donna Brothers, former jockey and NBC Thoroughbred racing analyst. Follow along on Smokey’s journey from a snowy birth to his star shining so bright, Hollywood came calling.

Read more: This Whiz Shines: America’s Sweetheart