The blimp shot reveals just how incredible that winning charge was, by a horse that few commentators (including myself) had given any attention before the race. Mine That Bird, a Canadian-bred bay gelding that sold for $9500 as a yearling and went off as a 50-to-1 long shot, came from dead last to flatten a field of 18 that were all struggling in the final furlongs on a sloppy track.
As the field churned towards the final turn, the blimp shot showed jockey Calvin Borel doing his world-famous thing of hugging the rail to save ground. He threaded his horse skillfully through any openings he found, swinging to the outside once because there was no room to pass on the left, then back to the rail again. Midway down the home stretch, he saw an opening of perhaps three feet between the rail and the leading horse, Pioneerof the Nile. Mine That Bird shot through that keyhole, and left Pioneer behind amid splashes of mud. By the time he hit the wire, he was nearly 7 lengths in front.
“What was the name of that horse again?” one commentator quipped. Afterwards New Mexico trainer Chip Woolley mentioned casually that he had trained Mine That Bird at high altitude — a legitimate training trick that is familiar to human athletes. That explains, in part, why the horse had such astonishing oomph over the last quarter mile, with a lot more oxygen-carrying red-blood corpuscles than his rivals.
It was definitely an upset for the history books. And a feel-good day for the sport — no breakdowns, and new rules in place that ban steroids and otherwise make some progress towards horse safety.
on May 2nd, 2009 at 11:18 pm
It was a FANTASTIC Derby. I always root for the small time trainers and horses. The amount of money spent by the big movers and shakers is larger than some small countries budgets!
on May 3rd, 2009 at 3:04 am
The announcer Tom Durkin literally did not mention Mine That Bird’s name until he had past the whole field and was on his way to winning; he seemed really caught off guard as the horse ran along the rail.
on May 3rd, 2009 at 8:20 am
Yes, it’s great that the process is open enough for the smart small-time trainer and owner to qualify and make a mark. The General Quarters/Tom McCarthy story is another one from this Derby that proves the point.
There is a short list of essentials that the small-timer has to do. You have to spot a good-but-cheap colt or filly at the yearling sales. Or you have to spot them a little later as an underestimated claimer. You have to know how to develop that horse’s potential. You need a minimum amount of money to bring that horse along as a two-year-old, and keep him/her sound, and get him/her qualified.
Last but not least, you have to put the right rider on board. Given the fact that Mine That Bird got squeezed back at the start, and wound up last, Calvin Borel was probably one of the few jockeys with the strategic sense to make up all the lost ground.
Mine That Bird is a little horse, well-put-together but not flashy looking. His $9500 yearling ticket was a yard-sale price. But his original Canadian owners definitely spotted him, and took him to 2-year-old champion in Canada. Many Americans tend to discount Canadian horses, which is silly, because some mighty good horses have come out of Canada. But few Americans paid attention when a New Mexico ranch, and a trainer who had a sideline as rodeo cowboy, took on this little horse.
It’s certainly possible for the big names to hemorrhage money and buy their way into the winner’s circle at Louisville. That’s what happened with War Emblem, who changed owners a month before the race. But it doesn’t always work — Godolphin (UAE) spent a billion buying good young horses so they could win this Derby, and they had to go home with their tail between their legs.
Now comes the biggest test of all. Can this little horse stay the course for the Triple Crown? I got the chills watching
that long charge of his, which covered roughly a quarter mile and sent him flying past the others, who were all laboring by then. If that’s any indication of the bottom he has, and if he likes the surfaces at the Preakness and Belmont, we might be seeing those black cowboy hats in the winner’s circle again. I hope so!!
on May 5th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Days later, some in the racing world are still trying to figure out what happened at the Derby. Right after the race, muddy-faced riders of highly touted horses were getting microphones shoved in their faces as they tried to get back to the jockey’s room and lick their wounds. Pioneerof the Nile’s rider thought he had the race won till suddenly a strange horse came flying past him on the rail.
Some people are trying to dismiss Mine That Bird as a fluke. Former jockey Gary Stevens, who has won a few Derbies, shakes his head and says, “That’s no fluke.”
The Preakness is gonna be interesting.