Mine that Bird won the Derby at odds of 50 to 1, and is one of only nine geldings to win the race and the second gelding to win since 1929. In the two remaining races of the US Triple Crown, he finished second in the Preakness and third in the Belmont.
Trainer Chip Woolley drove 21 hours to get Mine That Bird from New Mexico to Louisville for the Run for the Roses. The gelding was in last place for much of the race, but jockey Calvin Borel maneuvered Mine That Bird along the rail on a rain-soaked track to take the lead.
He won by by 6 3/4 lengths, the greatest margin of victory in the Derby since 1946. A $2 wager to win returned $103.20, giving Mine That Bird the second-biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history.
Mine That Bird retired in November 2010 after failing to win a race from nine starts following the Derby.
Cool news! I like that the trainers were from all places Roswell NM a stone's throw from here (though I should point out that a stone's throw in NM is pretty relative). Roswell is better known for the alien crash in the 50s and the resultant alien museum.
ReplyDeleteExciting! I love a good horse movie :)
ReplyDeleteMTB is now living at the Kentucky Derby Museum, greeting visitors who I'm SURE are thrilled to meet him! Apparently "Birdie" is a social sort of horse and I think it's awesome that they've installed him at the Museum (not sure for how long).
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