Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird had his final pre-Belmont Stakes work Monday morning at Churchill Downs under jockey Calvin Borel, covering a half-mile in 50 seconds flat in preparation for Saturday’s $1 million Belmont Stakes.
“I loved the way he went today,” Borel told reporters, following the gelding’s work. “He really came bouncing off the track once we were done. That’s what I love about him. He’s just so happy.”
Borel rode Mine That Bird in the Derby, but won the Preakness Stakes with the filly Rachel Alexandra, while Mine That Bird finished second under Mike Smith. With Rachel Alexandra out of the running for the Belmont, Borel will be back aboard Mine That Bird.
Although the Triple Crown will go unclaimed for the 31st year, Borel has a chance for his own triple, as he tries to become the first jockey in history to sweep all three races aboard two different horses, and as he makes his first Belmont Stakes start.
“He’ll win,” said Borel of the 2-1 morning line favorite, who will break from post 7 in the 10-horse field. “That’s what we’re here for. I see a Derby race, same style. He sits back there. Belmont has a long stretch and I can sit and wait. I watch this horse every day, he goes two miles, two-and-a-half miles.”
Mine That Bird, owned by Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine, arrived at Belmont Park on Wednesday, where trainer Chip Woolley, echoed Borel’s assessment.
“For a small horse, he has a surprisingly big stride and gets over the ground easily,” said Woolley. “He’ll run over horses, if you let him. We think he’s going to love this track and this distance.”
Charitable Man is the 3-1 morning line second favorite in the Belmont. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, the son of 1999 Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid has won three of four career starts, including the Grade 2, nine–furlong Peter Pan at Belmont on May 9, his second start in 2009.
Charitable Man will break from post 6 under jockey Alan Garcia, who won last year’s Belmont Stakes with Da’Tara.
“I’m not trying to sound cocky or overconfident,” said McLaughlin, who won the 2006 Belmont Stakes with Jazil. “All I’m saying is that we have a horse whose style fits this race, who has the pedigree, who is 2-for-2 on this track, and who couldn’t be training any better. I have a lot of respect for Mine That Bird, Chocolate Candy and Dunkirk, but I have a quality horse that couldn’t be doing any better.”
Dunkirk, at 4-1 under John Velazquez for trainer Todd Pletcher, suffered his first loss, after two wins, in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. A closer, he made his move on the turn but finished 1 3/4 lengths behind front-running Quality Road, who set Gulfstream Park’s nine-furlong record of 1:47.72. Dunkirk finished 11th in the Kentucky Derby,
“We just have to draw a line through the Derby,” said trainer Pletcher, who won the 2007 Belmont Stakes with Rags to Riches, the first filly in over 100 years to win the Belmont. “He stumbled leaving the gate, and by the time he got his legs under him again and got to the first turn, he was squeezed.
“If you look at his work tab, there are bullets all over it,” Pletcher added. “That’s not my training style. But I think it shows how much talent he has. He is out of a Kentucky Oaks-winning dam (Secret Status), and we have a lot of confidence in him.”
John Velazquez has the mount on Dunkirk, who will break from post 2.