Borel Gets The Bird

Dang it. Mine That Bird came in third in the Belmont Stakes, beaten by Summer Bird. Weird factoid: both MTB and Summer Bird were sired by Birdstone, who won the Belmont in 2004, upsetting Smarty Jones' triple crown bid. So, MTB wins the Derby, comes in second in the Preakness, and takes third today. Pretty durn good.

Mine, Mine, Mine That Bird!

I guess I am the only one of the W-C-L bloggers who is fascinated by the game of jockey musical chairs that has gone on in connection with horse racing's triple crown. (See Who's on First?, Eat My Dust ,and BACK TO THE FUTURE entries). In any event, it looks like Calvin Borel will be riding Mine That Bird in the Belmont Stakes after all. This race is the longest of the three but based on his performances in the last 2 races, I think MTB can take it, unless he is just too beaten down. As Gary Stevens said after the Preakness, if the race had been 2 strides longer, MTB would have won. So, I will be watching and cheering for MTB all the way.

Back the the Future

Rachel Alexandra, the filly that won the Preakness, is not running in the Belmont, so Calvin Borel is available to ride Mine That Bird should the owner so desire. If I owned the horse, I'd get Borel back on him despite the fact that Borel ditched Mine That Bird for Rachel in the Preakness. Really is a strange twist to this story. And I'm rooting for MTB, no matter who the jockey is.