Mine That Bird drills five panels in advance of Goodwood

Mine That Bird recorded the third-fastest of 21 works at five furlongs on Tuesday morning (Benoit Photos) On Tuesday morning, Kentucky Derby (G1) winner MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone) received his final tune-up for Saturday’s $350,000 Goodwood S. (G1) at Oak Tree, drilling five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 under jockey Joe Talamo. “I thought he went perfect this morning,” said trainer Bennie “Chip” Woolley Jr. from Santa Anita’s Barn 4. “I’m pleased with the way he did it. He was smokin’ that last eighth — I had the last eighth to the wire in 11 and two (fifths of a second). The sun was in my eyes, so I wasn’t able to catch him galloping out six furlongs, but he must’ve got that extra eighth in 12 and one or two. He was really, really marchin’.” The three-year-old gelding registered his second workout over the Pro-Ride this year. Last Tuesday, the bay worked five furlongs in 1:01 4/5.

“He handled the track well and he was getting over it good,” Woolley stated.
“The way he worked today, I’m actually happier now, with the way he worked last
week. It looks like it set him up real good for this work and hopefully, the
race on Saturday. The track was a little tighter today and now he’s had a little
time to adjust to it.”

In similar fashion to the September 28 workout, Talamo
and Mine That Bird came on the synthetic main track at about 8:05 a.m. (PDT) and
jogged counter-clockwise to the half-mile pole. Talamo allowed
Mine That Bird to stand for about two minutes before turning him around and
allowing him to jog and then gallop down the stretch, well off the inner rail.

As they rounded the clubhouse turn and entered the backstretch, Talamo
pointed the Birdstone gelding to the inner rail approaching the five-furlong
pole.

“He went real nice,” said Talamo, who once again substituted for regular
rider Calvin Borel. “He’s a Cadillac. He settled real nice and when I asked him
to pick it up in the lane, he was right there for me. It looks like all systems
go.

“I just kinda chirped to him one time and he that was it. He just glides
right over this track,” Talamo added.

Woolley was optimistic about his horse’s chances in Saturday’s Goodwood at 1
1/8 miles.

“I think he’s peaking now and coming to himself,” the conditioner said.
“He’ll walk tomorrow and gallop into the race. He seems to be really on his
game. I know 10 weeks (since he last ran in the August 1 West Virginia Derby
[G2]) is a little too long between races, but overall, he’s doing super. A mile
and one eighth is a little short for him too. We’d rather have a mile and a
quarter, but I think he’ll show up Saturday.”

The Goodwood, which will serve as Mine That Bird’s final prep for the $5
million Breeder’ Cup Classic (G1) at Oak Tree on November 7, is one of three
Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup prep races at Oak Tree on Saturday, along with the Lady’s
Secret and Yellow Ribbon. The other possible starters are CHOCOLATE CANDY (Candy
Ride [Arg]), COLONEL JOHN (Tiznow), GITANO HERNANDO (GB) (Hernando [Fr]),
INFORMED (Tiznow), MONZANTE (Maria’s Mon), PARADING (Pulpit), RICHARD’S KID
(Lemon Drop Kid), TIAGO (Pleasant Tap) and TRES BORRACHOS (Ecton Park).