Mine That Bird settles in at the Spa

The well-traveled Mine That Bird disembarks at Saratoga (NYRA Photo) After a seven-hour ride from West Virginia, Kentucky Derby (G1) winner MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone) arrived at Saratoga Race Course Monday afternoon to begin preparations for his next start, the 140th running of the $1 million Travers (G1) on August 29. With trainer Chip Woolley at the wheel, the trailer carrying the little gelding pulled into the barn area shortly after 3 p.m. (EDT). After being unloaded to the clicking of dozens of camera shutters, Mine That Bird took several turns around the shedrow and then settled into a grazing session on the lawn outside his stall. “I couldn’t be more excited to be here,” said Woolley, who trains Mine That Bird for Mark Allen and Dr. Leonard Blach. “Driving through Saratoga, it looked beautiful. Really pretty.” Mine That Bird, who followed his 50-1 Derby victory with a second to Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) in the Preakness (G1), a third to Summer Bird (Birdstone) in the Belmont S. (G1) and, most recently, a third in the West Virginia Derby (G2) Saturday afternoon, will begin galloping over the main track at Saratoga Tuesday morning.

“He’ll go once around tomorrow, and we’ll be looking real closely at him,”
Woolley said.

Aboard Mine That Bird for the Mid-Summer Derby will be Hall of Fame jockey
Mike Smith, who rode him in the Preakness and the West Virginia Derby. After
Saturday’s race, Smith blamed himself for the loss for having kept Mine That
Bird too close to the pace and using him too early.

“Mike said in the interview he needed to be more patient,” Woolley said. “A
mile and a quarter (in the Travers) will suit Mine That Bird a lot better (than
the 1 1/8 miles of the West Virginia Derby). He can slow down, relax, and make
one move.

“The race didn’t take a lot out of him,” he added. “The trip today probably
took more out of him.”

Among those expected to face Mine That Bird in the Travers is Summer Bird,
who is scheduled to arrive at Saratoga Tuesday morning from New Jersey, where he
finished second to Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell. The Travers has also been
mentioned as a possible target for the Preakness-winning filly, who returned to
the Spa Monday morning.

“She ran a great race yesterday; I was ultra-impressed,” Woolley said. “If
she comes, we’ll run at her.”