Mine That Bird points to Classic via Goodwood

by Jeff Lowe

Pursuing his first win since a colossal upset in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), Mine That Bird landed in the thick of the Oak Tree Racing Association’s major prep weekend for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which will present a stiff test on Saturday in the Goodwood Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park.

Mine That Bird will face older opponents for the first time in the 1 1/8-mile Goodwood, and the group awaiting him will include Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) winner Richard’s Kid, San Diego Handicap (G2) winner Informed, and 2008 Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) winner Colonel John.

The Travers was Mine That Bird’s main target for the summer, but he had to miss the race after developing a throat problem that was diagnosed after a workout on August 17 and required minor surgery.

In the meantime, Mine That Bird returned to New Mexico, the home state of owners Mark Allen and Leonard Blach, D.V.M., and trainer Bennie “Chip” Woolley Jr., for the first time since his Derby victory at 50.60-to-1 odds (video). He has breezed twice since Woolley sent him to Santa Anita on September 25.

Last October, Mine That Bird finished last of 12 in the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita, but he won four of five starts before that on the synthetic Polytrack surface at Woodbine.

Woolley maintains that the Juvenile was simply too quick a turnaround after Blach and Allen bought the gelding in a private deal earlier that month.

“He had no chance last year,” Woolley said. “We shipped him in here too late. The horse really wasn't ready to run.”

Woolley said the Goodwood distance is the primary obstacle for Mine That Bird and his late-running style. He finished third in the West Virginia Derby (G2) at 1 1/8 miles on August 1 in his only start since completing the Triple Crown with a second-place finish in the BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (G1) and third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes (G1).

“He seems to be really on his game,” Woolley said. “I know ten weeks is a little too long between races, but overall, he’s doing super. A mile and one eighth is a little short for him, too. We’d rather have a mile and a quarter, but I think he’ll show up Saturday.”

Richard’s Kid also rallied for a huge Grade 1 upset this season, scoring by a neck over Einstein (Brz) at 24.40-to-1 odds in the Pacific Classic on September 6 at Del Mar (video). He finished seventh in the Eddie Read Handicap (G1) and second by a nose in the Cougar II Handicap in his only other starts since joining trainer Bob Baffert’s barn this summer.

Alex Solis picked up the mount on Richard’s Kid for the Goodwood, replacing Mike Smith, who will stick with Tiago as the first-call rider for owners-breeders Jerry and Ann Moss.

Tiago won the 2007 Goodwood as a three-year-old and finished second last year prior to a third-place finish behind Raven’s Pass and Henrythenavigator in the ’08 Breeders’ Cup Classic. He has had an abbreviated campaign this year, finishing third in the San Antonio Handicap (G2) at Santa Anita in February and sixth in the Harry F. Brubaker Stakes on the turf at Del Mar on August 26 (video).

Gitano Hernando (GB) will make his U.S. debut for Team Valor International and Gary Barber. The Hernando (Fr) colt won both of his starts on synthetic surfaces in England. Kieren Fallon will travel to Southern California to ride Gitano Hernando.

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer

Goodwood S.

For Equibase entries of Saturday's Oak Tree card, click here.