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June 2 - If there was any doubt that champion jockey Calvin Borel would ride Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the 2009 Belmont Stakes on Saturday in New York, it evaporated yesterday after Borel worked a 1/2 mile aboard the quick three-year-old gelding at Kentucky's Churchill Downs Racecourse.
After Rachel Alexandra's connections confirmed that the unbeaten filly would not start in this year's Belmont Stakes, it gave Borel the freedom to ride Mine That Bird in the third and last leg of the U.S. Triple Crown. Obviously thrilled with the opportunity, a beaming Borel put the gelding through his paces yesterday.
'He really came bouncing off the track once we were done. That's what I love about him. He's just so happy,' said the jockey after the work. 'I really loved the way he went today.' Trainer Bennie 'Chip' Woolley seemed to agree who, from underneath his trademark Stetson, watched the work from the six-furlong mark.
'Last week I was just thinking that he's been training even better than he was going into the Kentucky Derby. This was the best work we could have asked from him today. You could call it a pretty perfect work,' said Wooley. The gelding notched up quick splits, completing five furlongs in an impressive time of 1:02.20.
With Rachel Alexandra out of the Belmont and Mine That Bird and his rider looking sharp, the $1 million Gr 1 question is who the dynamic duo's biggest threat will be come Saturday in the 1 1/2 mile race at Belmont Park Racecourse in Elmont, NY. One option is Charitable Man, a colt trained by Kiaran McLaughlin.
It seems that despite how much the press is focusing on the talents of Mine That Bird and her jockey, McLaughlin is eager to throw his oar in the water and shout the virtues of his top runner from the rooftops. 'I wouldn't trade places with anybody,' said the cocky trainer, referring to Charitable Man's Belmont hopes.
'Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm not usually so cocky ahead of a race. But this week I'm definitely a little cocky,' said the highly respected trainer from Belmont Park on Monday. 'He's doing as good going into the Belmont as he was going into the Peter Pan.' Does McLaughlin know something we don't?
Sportsbook.com makes Mine That Bird an early odds-on favorite to win the Belmont.
Plenty of sportsbooks are offering
Belmont Odds, a race that has recently seen a number of massive betting upsets.
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