Mine That Bird soars to 50-1 Derby shocker

Mine That Bird shocked Derby 135 (Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com)

When Calvin Borel guided 1-5 favorite Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro) to a
20 1/4-length romp in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs, few could
have imagined that triumph would be the first half of a shocking Oaks/Derby
double for the Louisiana-born rider, who guided the unheralded 50-1 shot MINE
THAT BIRD (Birdstone) to a stunning 6 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s $2,177,200
Kentucky Derby (G1).

Owned by Double Eagle Ranch and Bueno Suerte Equine, and trained by
Bennie “Chip” Woolley Jr., Mine That Bird pulled the second-biggest
upset in Derby history, eclipsed only by Donerail’s famous 91-1 shocker
in 1913.

Under a patented rail-skimming ride by Borel, Mine That Bird rallied
from last, exploded past Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker) in midstretch
and rapidly opened up on the field. The gelding, who had never won on
dirt before and was coming off a pair of losses at Sunland Park,
completed 1 1/4 miles on the sloppy, sealed track in 2:02 3/5.

“It’s wonderful — it hasn’t sunk in,” said Woolley, who is based at
the New Mexico track. “I just can’t say enough. I’m feeling like I never
have before. I was thinking Calvin Borel is the best, he just rode a
huge race, and everybody around him did a great job and we just were
lucky to get here.”

Mine That Bird also became the first Canadian champion juvenile to wear
the roses since Sunny’s Halo in 1983. The winner of the Grey S. (Can-G3),
Swynford S. and Silver Deputy S. on Woodbine’s Polytrack last season, he
rewarded his backers with payouts of $103.20, $54 and $25.80.

Soon after the gate opened, Mine That Bird dropped back, and Borel
was content to let him lope along in last of 19, as far as six lengths
adrift of the next-to-last runner, Mr. Hot Stuff (Tiznow).

Mine That Bird flew away from his Derby rivals (Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

Turning for home, Pioneerof the Nile appeared to be advancing
effortlessly, drawing to within a half-length of Join in the Dance
through a mile in 1:37 2/5. As the leaders swung into the stretch,
Pioneerof the Nile hinted that he was ready to hand incoming Hall of
Fame trainer Bob Baffert his fourth Derby, and jockey Garrett Gomez his
first. The dark bay colt did not accelerate, however, and found himself
in an all-out dogfight before finally subduing Regal Ransom and Join in
the Dance.

Meanwhile, Mine That Bird had been uncorking a monstrous move from
dead last on the turn, reminiscent of Borel’s Derby-winning ride aboard
Street Sense in 2007. After squeezing through a tight spot on the fence,
he roared past a number of rivals as if they were standing still, and he
suddenly burst into contention in midstretch. Before Pioneerof the Nile knew what hit
him, Mine That Bird flew past to
win in a manner as authoritative as it was surprising.

Indeed, his 6 3/4-length Derby margin ranks as the largest since Triple Crown
legend Assault’s eight-length waltz in 1946. Borel celebrated with his customary
flourishes, becoming only the seventh jockey in history to turn the Oaks/Derby
double, and the first since Jerry Bailey in 1993.

“It’s unbelievable,” Borel said. “I took the rail the whole way, we
had a good trip, got stopped maybe one time going around the turn but
after that, it was awesome. I knew he was going to win by the
three-eighths pole. I knew if we could just find our way through that we
were going to win from there.”

Calvin Borel celebrated his second Derby win (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

The trio had pulled six lengths clear of fifth-place finisher Chocolate Candy (Candy Ride [Arg]),
who was followed by Summer Bird (Birdstone), Join in the Dance, Regal Ransom, West Side Bernie (Bernstein), General Quarters (Sky Mesa), Dunkirk (Unbridled’s Song), Hold Me Back (Giant’s Causeway), Advice (Chapel Royal), Desert Party (Street Cry [Ire]), Mr. Hot Stuff, Atomic Rain (Smart Strike), Nowhere to Hide (Vindication),
7-2 favorite Friesan Fire (A.P. Indy) and Flying Private (Fusaichi Pegasus).

I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even), the 3-1 morning-line favorite, came up
with heat in his left front ankle on Saturday morning and was scratched.

Bred by Lamantia, Blackburn and Needham/Betz Thoroughbreds in Kentucky, Mine
That Bird was a $9,500 bargain yearling at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October.
Originally campaigned by Dominion Bloodstock et al, he finished fifth in a
Woodbine maiden special weight last July. Mine That Bird was dropped in for a
$62,500 tag next out and promptly scored by 1 3/4 lengths. Former trainer David
Cotey then gave him a chance in stakes company, and he sprang a mild upset at
10-1 in the Silver Deputy.

After capturing the Swynford and Grey, he was purchased privately by Double
Eagle Ranch and transferred to Richard Mandella. Mine That Bird made only one
start for the Hall of Famer, checking in last of 12 in the Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile (G1). He reappeared with Woolley at Sunland over the winter, and in his
debut for his new trainer, he was a terrifically game runner-up in the
Borderland Derby, beaten a neck by Scorewithcater (Even the Score). Mine That
Bird failed to reproduce that effort in his subsequent start, a retreating
fourth in the Sunland Derby.

The Derby winner is the first foal from the unraced Smart Strike mare Mining
My Own, who has since produced an unnamed juvenile colt by Yonaguska. Mining My
Own, a half-sister to stakes heroine Golden Sunray (Crafty Prospector), is
herself out of Canadian Oaks runner-up Aspenelle (Vice Regent). This is the
family of Ambassador of Luck (What Luck), the champion older mare of 1983.