Posted on 06/01/2009 5:16:18 PM PDT by gate2wire
An exuberant Calvin Borel expressed confidence that Mine That Bird will win the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) after working the diminutive gelding a half-mile in :50 on a warm, sunny June 1 morning at Churchill Downs.
“Perfect,” said Borel, who won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) with the son of Birdstone trained by Bennie “Chip” Woolley Jr. for owners Mark Allen and Dr. Leonard Blach. “He’s ready. We’re going to win. No questions asked.”
The boast by the hard-working, likable Borel was similar to the one he made previous to winning the BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (gr. I) with Rachel Alexandra, with Mine That Bird finishing second with jockey Mike Smith in the saddle. Borel was freed up to ride Mine That Bird in the Belmont after owners Jess Jackson and Harold McCormick announced May 29 that the filly would bypass the third leg of the Triple Crown. Although her next start has not been announced, Rachel Alexandra also worked at Churchill June 1, getting five furlongs in 1:01 3/5.
Churchill clockers timed Mine That Bird, who was wearing his yellow Kentucky Derby saddle cloth when he to the track following the routine maintenance break, in fractional splits of :13 4/5, :26 3/5, and :38 2/5. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:02 1/5 and was ridden out six furlongs in 1:15.
(Excerpt) Read more at bloodhorse.com ...
ping
I hope so—love that horse.
ML/NJ
“...love that horse.”
Really? How come?
Good question. Probably did somewhere along the line. Street Sense didn’t run in the Belmont, as I’m sure you know.
IMHO, It’s Charitable Man’s to lose.
Since the article didn’t mention when the Belmont is being run (non-essential information, I guess), it is June 6th
If this Saturday is June 6th, you are correct.
Yep, that would be this Saturday. Now, if anyone wants to offer a post time for the race Mine That Bird is running in, I might actually see it :)
Ya got me on that one. Somewhere between 5:30 and 6:30 pm.
Charitable Man wins the Belmont in a romp.
MTB needs a vacation, theres no chance he has another big one up his sleeve.
Well, although I agree that CM is the colt to beat, I’m not so sure MTB is worn out. Has only run 4 times this year. For a possible dual Classic winner, he’s relatively lightly raced.
Borel should have stayed on Bird in the Preakness. What a shame that Borel and the rest of us may have missed out on a Triple Crown winner.
MTB was closing fast on the filly, and w/ Borel on probably would have had a better run.
Rachel is the better horse. Borel knew what he was doing.
He has a lot of heart.
He dogs them out as he comes off the pace.
If he can handle the distance the rest of the pack will be slowing down when he kicks into passing gear. He runs his eyeball out.
He’s built like a router...which he is.
His trainer is a doll.
I could go on...
Having seen what happened at the Preekness, Borel should be savvy enogh to know that MTB is the better horse.
LOL, with a different rider he would be headed for the triple.
If he had been turned lose two seconds sooner he would have been in front by a quarter.
Thanks for the ping. I like Chocolate Candy. I am not sure if he will win the Belmont though. I like Mine That Bird a lot.
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