Mine That Bird tries Pimlico's track

Mine That Bird took a stroll around Pimlico's main track (Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club)

The Kentucky Derby (G1) victor pleased his trainer Wednesday during his

first morning of exercise at Pimlico in preparation for Saturday's 134th

running of the Preakness S. (G1) at Pimlico Race Course. MINE THAT BIRD

(Birdstone), who shocked the Thoroughbred world while scoring at 50-1

odds in the Derby, had arrived at Pimlico Tuesday evening following a

one-stop van ride from Churchill Downs.

"He made the trip really good. He was bouncing. (Exercise rider)

Charlie (Figueroa) said, over on the backside, he was really bucking and

playing, so it looks like he made the trip good," said trainer Chip

Woolley, who drove the pickup towing Mine That Bird's van during the

trip that took less than 10 hours. "We stood him; backtracked him about

a little more than a half-mile to the gates; stood him and loped him a

full round, then backtracked him back. So he did almost two miles. He

looks super."

Although he soundly defeated his rivals by 6 3/4 lengths at Churchill

Downs, Mine That Bird might not be taken seriously by some bettors who

regard his Derby victory as more of a fluke than a true measure of his talent.

"Horses fire big races, and I'm not saying he didn't run over his

form, but they do fire big races, and hopefully he'll fire back like

that this week," Woolley said. "If he does, that's wonderful, if he

doesn't, we'll regroup and aim him for the (June 6) Belmont S. (G1) and see what

happens."

Mine That Bird's dominating performance in the Derby will always be

appreciated by his trainer.

"He passed 18 head of Grade 1 horses from the three-eighths pole to

the wire, so it's not like he stole an easy lead and just got away from

them," Woolley said. "The horse had to work for it and earned it. That

speaks for itself."

Jockey Calvin Borel, whose rail-skimming ride has received much of

the credit for the last-to-first victory at Churchill, will not be

aboard Mine That Bird, having opted to be aboard RACHEL ALEXANDRA

(Medaglia d'Oro), whom he

rode to a 20 1/4-length triumph in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) one day prior. Mike Smith has been

named to replace Borel.