NEWS
Mine That Bird back on Churchill work tab
Posted: Monday, June 29, 2009 1:45 PM
MINE THAT BIRD BREEZES AT CHURCHILL ON MONDAY
Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer photo
Mine That Bird, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner, breezed four furlongs in :51 on Monday morning at Churchill Downs in his first workout since a third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
The Birdstone gelding had about two weeks of light training after the Belmont and then resumed a regular gallop schedule. He is preparing for the West Virginia Derby (G3) on August 1 at Mountaineer Race Track and the Shadwell Travers Stakes (G1) on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course.
Borel told trainer Bennie “Chip” Woolley Jr. that he was pleased with the colt’s effort.
“He came off the track bouncing just like he was before the Derby,” Borel said. “He’s ready. He doesn’t need much. He’s playful and happy and back to right where he was before the Derby.”
Woolley said he thought the move would be a little faster.
“I thought he’d go in :49 or :50 because he’s a little fresh, the freshest he’s ever been,” Woolley said. “I thought he’d be in the bridle a little more, but he looked good and came back cool as a cucumber. He was a little more into the bridle at Belmont and got a little shook up. Believe me, I like it a lot better this way.”
Owned by Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine, Mine That Bird will walk Tuesday and return to the track on Wednesday with another half-mile work scheduled for July 6.
“His work next week will be sharper and then we will back off a bit in the next one,” Woolley said of the schedule that calls for a five-furlong work on July 13.
In the Travers Stakes, which will be run on August 29 at Saratoga Race Course, Mine That Bird possibly could meet up with Kentucky Oaks (G1) and BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Rachel Alexandra, the outstanding 3-year-old filly who won the Mother Goose Stakes (G1) by a record 19 ¼ lengths in stakes-record time on Saturday at Belmont Park.
Mine That Bird came up just a length short of catching Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness on May 16 at Pimlico Race Course.
“If it happens, it would be a good thing for racing and that would be a great spot to do it,” Woolley said. “Let’s just see where things fall.”
