Three-time Grade 1 hero BIRDSTONE (Grindstone) was represented by his first
winner at stud when his juvenile colt S. S. Stone impressively captured the 9TH
race at Hollywood Park on Sunday. Making his debut for trainer Doug O’ Neill in this
one, the Kentucky-bred gray skimmed the rail in the stretch
and powered home to get up by a length, reaching the wire in a swift 1:03 3/5
for the 5 1/2-furlong dash on the Cushion Track. Rafael Bejarano piloted the winner, who was sent off
at odds of nearly 14-1.
Birdstone made a big splash in his debut, dominating foes at Saratoga by 12
1/2 lengths for trainer Nick Zito. The then-juvenile finished fourth in the
Hopeful S. (G1) but followed that one with a convincing 2 1/2-length tally in the Champagne S. (G1) to conclude his two-year-old season. The Marylou Whitney
homebred looked sharp in an allowance win at Gulfstream Park in his sophomore
bow but finished unplaced in both the Lane’s End S. (G2) and Kentucky Derby
(G1). The best, however, was yet to come.
Sent off at 36-1 in the 2004 Belmont S. (G1), the Kentucky-bred thwarted the
Triple Crown hopes of Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality) with a fast-closing win
under Edgar Prado. Proving that his win was not a fluke, the colt next appeared
in the Travers S. (G1) and rallied to a clear 2 1/2-length win to notch his
third Grade 1 conquest. The Zito charge finished off his career with a
seventh-place showing in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) behind the mighty
Ghostzapper. Birdstone retired with a line
of 9-5-0-0, $1,575,600.
Produced from the stakes-placed Dear Birdie (Storm Bird), Birdstone was
preceded in stakes glory by champion Bird Town (Cape Town), who bagged the 2003
Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Acorn S. (G1). He also hails from the same family as five-time Grade 2
queen Hush Dear (Silent Screen), who produced stakes winner and sire Noactor
(Theatrical [Ire]).
The seven-year-old Birdstone stands at Gainesway Farm near Paris, Kentucky,
for a fee of $10,000, live foal.