Mine That Bird
Encyclopedia
Mine That Bird is a retired American racehorse. He is best known for being one of only nine geldings to win the Kentucky Derby
, and the second gelding to win the race since 1929. As of November 06, 2010, Mine That Bird had retired from racing after being winless in nine starts ever since the Kentucky Derby.
(winner of the 2004 Belmont Stakes), and his dam is Mining My Own. According to his pedigree,he is related to Northern Dancer from both of his parents and is related to Native Dancer and Mr.Prospector on his dam's side.
trainer David Cotey
purchased Mine That Bird for $9,500 from the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale. He and his partners raced the gelding at Woodbine Racetrack
in Toronto
, where he won four of six starts and was voted the 2008 Canadian Champion 2-yr-old Male Horse
. Cotey believed in the horse so much that he nominated him for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile
and the Kentucky Derby. Chantal Sutherland
rode him to victory in the Silver Deputy Stakes
and the Swynford Stakes
. After she and the horse won the Grey Stakes
on October 11, 2008, the partnership accepted a $400,000 offer from the New Mexico
partnership of Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine. His new owners turned the gelding over to U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
trainer, Richard Mandella. In the 2008 Breeders' Cup Juvenile
, Mine That Bird finished last of the twelve starters.
, in his 2009 debut on February 28, Mine That Bird finished second in the Borderland Derby
, and on March 29 had a fourth-place finish in the Sunland Derby. Based on his career earnings in graded stakes races, he qualified as one of the twenty Kentucky Derby starters. Woolley, who had a broken foot at the time and was in a cast, loaded Mine That Bird into a horse trailer
attached to his pickup truck
, and drove 1,700 miles over 21 hours from New Mexico to get to the big race.
natural dirt track was rated as sloppy for the 2009 Kentucky Derby
. Ridden by Calvin Borel
, Mine That Bird had trouble out of the starting gate and was left about eight lengths behind the rest of the field. By the time the pack of horses was running down the backstretch, Mine That Bird was so far back that NBC
's announcer Tom Durkin
at first missed seeing him.
Calvin Borel, using the ground-saving, rail-skimming riding technique that won him the 2007 Derby with Street Sense
, charged past horses along the backstretch and at the turn for home had moved into contention. Borel kept Mine That Bird on the rail, leaving it just once to go around a tiring horse before ducking back in, where he exploded past Pioneerof the Nile
so fast on the inside that NBC's Tom Durkin, who was focused on other horses vying for the lead, did not see him come through until he was three lengths in the lead. Mine That Bird pulled away to win by 6 lengths.
A two dollar win wager returned $103.20, making Mine That Bird the second biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history, behind 91-1 longshot Donerail
in 1913. Mine That Bird had the third longest odds in the 19-horse field, with only Atomic Rain (55-1) and Join in the Dance (51-1) being higher.
. They planned to wait and assess the horse's condition first.
Co-owner Mark Allen said, "The plan was that if he showed something here, to skip the Preakness and go to the Belmont, like his dad." His sire Birdstone
won the Belmont Stakes
in 2004, suggesting that Mine That Bird's breeding is for longer distances. Trainer Bennie Wooley was concerned that the Preakness tends to have a quick pace that might not benefit his horse as much as the Belmont.
It was announced on May 4, 2009, on ESPN that Mine That Bird would run in the Preakness.
Borel opted to ride Rachel Alexandra
, his regular mount, in the Preakness. Rachel Alexandra, who had won the Kentucky Oaks
by 20 lengths with Borel aboard, was the favorite. Mine That Bird was given to Mike Smith to ride, and the gelding ended up in second place, a length behind Rachel Alexandra. As with the Derby, Mine That Bird came from far back in the field on the final turn, and was closing rapidly on Rachel Alexandra, but the finish line came before he could catch the filly.
and Dunkirk to finish third.
on August 1.
On May 19, 2010, Mine That Bird was transferred to Hall of Fame trainer, D. Wayne Lukas
, which aired on January 21, 2010, host Conan O'Brien
claimed that The Tonight Show had purchased Mine That Bird for a comedy bit at the expense of NBC
. A chestnut
horse, which O'Brien introduced as Mine That Bird, was brought out in a (supposedly) mink Snuggie and watched what O'Brien stated to be "restricted footage of NFL Super Bowl highlights". O'Brien stated the cost of the bit was $4.8 million.
Lil Wayne makes a reference to the horse in the "Always Strapped" Official Remix (Part 2).
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
, and the second gelding to win the race since 1929. As of November 06, 2010, Mine That Bird had retired from racing after being winless in nine starts ever since the Kentucky Derby.
Breeding
Mine That Bird's sire is BirdstoneBirdstone
Birdstone is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2004 Belmont Stakes and is gaining notoriety as a fantastic sire....
(winner of the 2004 Belmont Stakes), and his dam is Mining My Own. According to his pedigree,he is related to Northern Dancer from both of his parents and is related to Native Dancer and Mr.Prospector on his dam's side.
Age Two Racing Career
CanadianCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
trainer David Cotey
David Cotey
David Cotey is a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. Near the beginning of the 1990s, he formed the nom de course Dominion Bloodstock to purchase and race Thoroughbreds with partners Hugh Galbraith and Derek Ball...
purchased Mine That Bird for $9,500 from the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale. He and his partners raced the gelding at Woodbine Racetrack
Woodbine Racetrack
Woodbine Racetrack is a Canadian racetrack for Thoroughbred horse races located at 555 Rexdale Blvd. in the city of Toronto, Ontario. It is the only horseracing track in North America which stages, or is capable of staging, thoroughbred and standardbred horseracing programs on the same day...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, where he won four of six starts and was voted the 2008 Canadian Champion 2-yr-old Male Horse
Sovereign Award for Champion 2-Year-Old Male Horse
The Canadian Champion Two-Year-Old Coltis a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing honor. Created in 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada, it is part of the Sovereign Awards program and is awarded annually to the top 2-Year-Old male Thoroughbred horse competing in Canada.Past winners: -References:*...
. Cotey believed in the horse so much that he nominated him for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Breeders' Cup Juvenile
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships....
and the Kentucky Derby. Chantal Sutherland
Chantal Sutherland
Chantal Sutherland is a Canadian model, television personality and jockey in North American Thoroughbred horse racing. She is referred to as the Danica Patrick of horse racing...
rode him to victory in the Silver Deputy Stakes
Silver Deputy Stakes
The Silver Deputy Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the fourth week of August at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Open to two-year-old horses, it is contested over a distance of six and one hald furlongs on Polytrack synthetic dirt.In 2006, the race was run at...
and the Swynford Stakes
Swynford Stakes
Swynford Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late September at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. One of the track's top races for North American two-year-olds, it is raced on dirt over a distance of seven furlongs....
. After she and the horse won the Grey Stakes
Grey Stakes
The Grey Stakes is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race held annuallyduring the first week of October at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. A Grade III, it is open to two-year-old horses and is raced on dirt at a distance of 11/16 miles...
on October 11, 2008, the partnership accepted a $400,000 offer from the New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
partnership of Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine. His new owners turned the gelding over to U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
trainer, Richard Mandella. In the 2008 Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Breeders' Cup Juvenile
The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships....
, Mine That Bird finished last of the twelve starters.
Racing at Age Three
Racing in the United States at age three for new trainer Chip WoolleyBennie L. Woolley, Jr.
Bennie L. "Chip" Woolley Jr. is an American Thoroughbred horse racing trainer best known for conditioning the 2009 winner of the Kentucky Derby. One of the five children of Ann and Bennie Woolley, Sr., he grew up in Dalhart, Texas where his parents still live...
, in his 2009 debut on February 28, Mine That Bird finished second in the Borderland Derby
Borderland Derby
The Borderland Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually early in the year at Sunland Park Racetrack in Sunland Park, New Mexico. The final local prep for April's WinStar Derby, and an official prep race for the Kentucky Derby, the Borderland Derby is open to three-year-olds...
, and on March 29 had a fourth-place finish in the Sunland Derby. Based on his career earnings in graded stakes races, he qualified as one of the twenty Kentucky Derby starters. Woolley, who had a broken foot at the time and was in a cast, loaded Mine That Bird into a horse trailer
Horse trailer
A horse trailer or horse van is used to transport horses...
attached to his pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
, and drove 1,700 miles over 21 hours from New Mexico to get to the big race.
2009 Kentucky Derby
Following overnight rain, the Churchill DownsChurchill Downs
Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...
natural dirt track was rated as sloppy for the 2009 Kentucky Derby
2009 Kentucky Derby
The 2009 Kentucky Derby was the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby. The value of the race was $2,177,000 in stakes. The race was sponsored by Yum! Brands and hence officially was called Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands. The race took place on May 2, 2009, and was televised in the United...
. Ridden by Calvin Borel
Calvin Borel
Calvin H. Borel is an American jockey in thoroughbred horse racing and rode the victorious mount in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, the 2009 Kentucky Derby and the 2010 Kentucky Derby...
, Mine That Bird had trouble out of the starting gate and was left about eight lengths behind the rest of the field. By the time the pack of horses was running down the backstretch, Mine That Bird was so far back that NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's announcer Tom Durkin
Tom Durkin
Tom Durkin is an American sportscaster and public address announcer specializing in Thoroughbred horse racing. He was the race caller for NBC Sports from 1984 through 2010....
at first missed seeing him.
Calvin Borel, using the ground-saving, rail-skimming riding technique that won him the 2007 Derby with Street Sense
Street Sense (horse)
Street Sense is an American Thoroughbred racehorse, U.S. Champion 2-Yr-Old Colt and winner of the 2007 Kentucky Derby, the 2007 Travers Stakes and runner up in the 2007 Preakness Stakes by a head. Owned and bred by James B...
, charged past horses along the backstretch and at the turn for home had moved into contention. Borel kept Mine That Bird on the rail, leaving it just once to go around a tiring horse before ducking back in, where he exploded past Pioneerof the Nile
Pioneerof the Nile
Pioneerof the Nile is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was one of the favorites going into the May 2, 2009 Kentucky Derby. Bred and raced by Zayat Stables, he was sired by 2003 Belmont Stakes winner, Empire Maker, a son of the 1990 Breeders' Cup Classic winner, Unbridled...
so fast on the inside that NBC's Tom Durkin, who was focused on other horses vying for the lead, did not see him come through until he was three lengths in the lead. Mine That Bird pulled away to win by 6 lengths.
A two dollar win wager returned $103.20, making Mine That Bird the second biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history, behind 91-1 longshot Donerail
Donerail
Donerail was an American thoroughbred racehorse, who was the upset winner of the 1913 Kentucky Derby. His driving win stands to this day as the biggest long shot in the history of the Derby. Going off at 91-1, Donerail provided a $184.90 payoff for a $2 bet. He was drawing away at the finish...
in 1913. Mine That Bird had the third longest odds in the 19-horse field, with only Atomic Rain (55-1) and Join in the Dance (51-1) being higher.
2009 Preakness Stakes
The day after his Derby win, Mine That Bird's connections were uncertain if they would come back two weeks later and try for the Preakness Stakes2009 Preakness Stakes
The 2009 Preakness Stakes was the 134th running of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown. The value of the race was $1,100,000 in stakes. The race was sponsored by BlackBerry and hence officially was called Blackberry Preakness Stakes. The race took place on May 16,...
. They planned to wait and assess the horse's condition first.
Co-owner Mark Allen said, "The plan was that if he showed something here, to skip the Preakness and go to the Belmont, like his dad." His sire Birdstone
Birdstone
Birdstone is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2004 Belmont Stakes and is gaining notoriety as a fantastic sire....
won the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
in 2004, suggesting that Mine That Bird's breeding is for longer distances. Trainer Bennie Wooley was concerned that the Preakness tends to have a quick pace that might not benefit his horse as much as the Belmont.
It was announced on May 4, 2009, on ESPN that Mine That Bird would run in the Preakness.
Borel opted to ride Rachel Alexandra
Rachel Alexandra
Rachel Alexandra is a retired American Thoroughbred filly racehorse and the 2009 Horse of the Year. She is renowned as the May 16, 2009 Preakness Stakes winner, the second jewel of the Triple Crown, the first filly to win the race in 85 years history...
, his regular mount, in the Preakness. Rachel Alexandra, who had won the Kentucky Oaks
Kentucky Oaks
The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1⅛ miles at Churchill Downs; the horses carry 121 pounds . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year...
by 20 lengths with Borel aboard, was the favorite. Mine That Bird was given to Mike Smith to ride, and the gelding ended up in second place, a length behind Rachel Alexandra. As with the Derby, Mine That Bird came from far back in the field on the final turn, and was closing rapidly on Rachel Alexandra, but the finish line came before he could catch the filly.
2009 Belmont Stakes
Mine That Bird ran in the Belmont Stakes on June 6, 2009, where he was once again ridden by Calvin Borel. After starting last, he began moving up along the backside. After taking the lead at the top of the stretch, he battled with Dunkirk and Charitable Man down the lane but was ultimately beaten by Summer BirdSummer Bird
Summer Bird is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse, son of 2004 Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone. He was bred by retired cardiologist Kalarikkal Jayaraman and his wife, retired pathologist Vilasini Jayaraman, at their Tiffany Farm near Ocala, Florida...
and Dunkirk to finish third.
West Virginia Derby
Mine That Bird returned to racing with a third in the West Virginia DerbyWest Virginia Derby
The West Virginia Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Mountaineer Race Track in Chester, West Virginia. The race is open to three-year-old horses and is run over a distance of 1⅛ miles...
on August 1.
New Mexico Horse of the Year
On February 11, 2010, Mine That Bird was unanimously voted New Mexico Horse of the Year for 2009 by the New Mexico State House of Representatives. The bill was introduced by state representative Candy Spence Ezzell, who explained that “Dr. Leonard Blach and Mark Allen [Mine That Bird's owners] have brought New Mexico positive worldwide recognition.” Dr. Blach, who was present for the proceedings, received a standing ovation from House members.On May 19, 2010, Mine That Bird was transferred to Hall of Fame trainer, D. Wayne Lukas
D. Wayne Lukas
Darrell Wayne Lukas is a former educator who became one of the most successful horse trainers in American Thoroughbred horse racing history and a U.S...
Breeding
The Tonight Show
On the second to last episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O'BrienThe Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show that featured Conan O'Brien as host from June 1, 2009 to January 22, 2010 as part of NBC's long-running Tonight Show franchise...
, which aired on January 21, 2010, host Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
claimed that The Tonight Show had purchased Mine That Bird for a comedy bit at the expense of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. A chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
horse, which O'Brien introduced as Mine That Bird, was brought out in a (supposedly) mink Snuggie and watched what O'Brien stated to be "restricted footage of NFL Super Bowl highlights". O'Brien stated the cost of the bit was $4.8 million.
Lil Wayne makes a reference to the horse in the "Always Strapped" Official Remix (Part 2).
Further reading
- The 2008 Breeders' Cup Juvenile
- February 24, 2009 Thoroughbred Times article titled Borderland Derby first up for Mine That Bird
- Video at YouTube of Mine That Bird winning the 2008 Grey Stakes
- Video at YouTube of Mine That Bird winning the 2009 Kentucky Derby (includes aerial tracking view)
- Mine That Bird at the NTRA
- Official website for "Mine That Bird" winner of the 135th Kentucky Derby - 2009