posted by Kalina on Jun 2
Calvin Borel was optimistic after working Mine That Bird a half mile in :50 on the morning of June 1st at Churchill Downs.
“Perfect,” says Borel, who won the Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird, a son of the upset Belmont winner of the 2004 Belmont Stakes. “He’s ready. We’re going to win. No questions asked.He’s ready. We’re going to win. No questions asked.”
Borel’s boast was similar to the one he made before the BlackBerry Preakness when he won on Rachel Alexandra. Mine That Bird had come in 2nd then, with jockey Mike Smith in the saddle. Borel was freed up to ride Mine The Bird in the Belmont after Rachel Alexandra’s owners, Jess Jackson and Harold McCormick had announced on May 29th that she would not be running in it. Her next start has not been announced, but she galloped five furlongs in 1:01 3/5 on June 1st. Read the rest of this entry »
posted by Kalina on May 28
Jockey Rene Douglas was injured in a racing accident at Arlington Park in the May 23rd Arlington Matron Handicap (gr. III). He went into surgery at 2:30 AM May 24th, and came out around 9:30 AM. Even after a seven hour surgery at Northwestern Hospital, he came out without feeling in his lower extremeties. His agent, Dennis Cooper reported that doctors say the 42 year old rider may not walk again.
“They said he might not walk again, it didn’t look like,” Cooper said. “He’ll probably have use of his upper body, but they gave it to me straight that he’s not likely to walk. They won’t be a million percent sure until after the swelling goes down in about 10 to 14 days, but it doesn’t look good.”
Douglas will remain in ICU for two weeks, until he moves to rehab. Read the rest of this entry »
posted by Kalina on May 18
Calvin Borel and Rachel Alexandra made history, winning the Preakness Stakes. Rachel Alexandra was the first filly to win it in 85 years, since Nellie Morse in 1924, and only the fifth filly to win overall.
Once they had broken from the gate, Musket man took the lead at first, with Freisian Fire showing early speed, and Rachel Alexandra coming up on the far outside. Coming into the first turn, Rachel Alexandra took the lead. She kept it up during the entire race. Mine That Bird was in a similar position as in the running of the Derby, all the way in the back. Papa Clem was in fourth, with Freisian Fire in third, and Big Drama in second to Rachel Alexandra. Pioneerof The Nile was running in fifth. With three furlongs to go, however, Mine That Bird shot around the outside and started moving up. With only one furlong left, Musket Man moved up in second with Mine That Bird third on the outside and Rachel Alexandra still holding a convincing lead. Under the wire, Rachel Alexandra was ahead by a length with Mine That Bird in second and Musket Man in third. The final time was 1:55 flat.
posted by Kalina on May 13
Calvin Borel, who rode Mine That Bird to an upset victory in the Kentucky Derby, has decided that he will ride the filly Rachel Alexandra in the upcoming Preakness Stakes. Mine That Bird is also headed for the Preakness and has arrived in Baltimore.
“It came down to the facts that he (Borel) knows and loves this horse, that he knows how to get the most from her, and he knows how to win,’’ said Jess Jackson of Stonestreet Stables and proprietor of Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates. “They were an amazing team at the Kentucky Oaks—winning by over 20 lengths. We think this is a perfect match of rider and horse.’’
Rachel Alexandra will continue her workout schedule under trainer Steve Asmussen.
“If she continues to be in perfect condition, our intention will be to run her in the Preakness,” Jackson said, adding that the final decision would be made next week.
posted by Kalina on May 5
Calvin Borel and Mine That Bird win the Kentucky Derby, 2009
Saturday, May 2nd, was a huge upset for everyone. Mine That Bird, a horse purchased for $9,500, beat the rest of the field by lengths. With Pioneerof The Nile in second, Musket Man in third, and Papa Clem in fourth, the race was strong and fast the whole way. Join In The Dance led for most of the way, but finished in seventh. The favorite, Friesian Fire, was back in eighteenth place.
posted by Kalina on May 2
I Want Revenge, the favorite betting choice for the race, was scratched the day of the running, because of a hot spot found on the horse’s left front ankle. Trainer Jeff Mullins found a hot spot on his left front ankle in the morning.
The X-ray and ultrasound showed nothing, but a flex test showed tenderness. With the track promising to be sloppy (as it was through the Eight Belles) Mullins and owner David Lanzman did not want to chance the colt’s wellbeing.
“When the word came out that running could hurt the horse, I looked at both doctors and said, ‘Then this is no debate,”’ Lanzman said. “‘What are we talking about? We’ll fight another day.”’ Read the rest of this entry »
posted by Kalina on Apr 30
Win Willy, the winner of the March 14 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park, was declared not entering the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) on the morning of April 29th by trainer Mac Robertson. The declaration was made hours before entries were to be taken for the race taking place at Churchill Downs on May 2nd. Read the rest of this entry »
posted by Kalina on Apr 29
Pioneerof the Nile wins the Santa Anita Derby
He gallops effortlessly over the track, working five furlongs in 1:01. It is hard to believe that this Zayat Stables homebred was a sickly foal, who almost didn’t make it. Sobhy Sonbol explains the story of this Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I) contender.
“He got colic, and he had surgery a few weeks after he was born,” says Sonbol, who serves as the vice president of Zayat Stables. “He almost died, and then he had to have another operation a few months later. He had some adhesions in there from the first surgery, so they had to go back in there again.” Read the rest of this entry »
posted by Kalina on Apr 28
General Quarters in first, Hold Me Back in second, with Massone in third.
Tom McCarthy is the 75 year old owner/trainer of the former claimer, General Quarters. He claimed the colt for $20,000 in a maiden claimer last May in Kentucky. General Quarters broke his maiden in that race, then went without winning in his next 5 races in Kentucky. He was moved to Tampa Bay Downs at the end of his 2-year old racing season. He placed a good second Dec. 27, in the Inaugural Stakes (gr. III), then came back three weeks later to finish in second to Musket Man in the Pasco Stakes, a Kentucky Derby prep race. The colt finally had a breakthrough when her pulled away to win by 3 ½ lengths in the Sam F. Davis (gr. III). After General Quarter’s disappointing fifth place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby, McCarthy took his horse to Keeneland. The colt needed graded stakes earnings to make it to the Derby. Read the rest of this entry »
posted by Kalina on Apr 28
Papa Clem’s name has a story behind it, of course. Owner Bo Hirsch named him for his father, who’s grandchildren called him ‘Papa Clem’. Hirsch said he considered the name ‘Cement’ for the fast colt, because in the 1950’s and 60’s Clement, his father, had shared a rented beach house with Jimmy Durante, comic legend. Durante called Clement ‘Cement’, instead of pronouncing it correctly. “I thought it (Papa Clement) was better than Cement,” Hirsch says. “That doesn’t seem very fast.” Read the rest of this entry »
