Belmont Stakes 2009

Kent Desormeaux, much criticized after his disastrous Belmont of last year in his handling of Big Brown, wins aboard Summer Bird, defeating Mine That Bird, who finished a close third to runner-up Dunkirk who was a couple of lengths from the winner.

Video:

Belmont Stakes 2009

The biggest question in horse racing today is whether Calvin Borel will be the first jockey in history to win the Triple Crown riding two different horses.

Now, no one really knows what to think as Borel, back on Mine That Bird while Rachel Alexandra waits to fight another day, attempts to become the first jockey to sweep the Triple Crown on two different horses.

"It's what I worked for. It's all I wanted in my life," says Borel, who started riding competitively at 8. "I never thought I would have to do it on different horses."

According to Allan Carter, historian at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Bill Shoemaker is the only other jockey to approach a personal Triple Crown on different mounts.

In 1959, Shoemaker took the Kentucky Derby with Tomy Lee, missed with runner-up Sword Dancer in the Preakness and won the Belmont on Sword Dancer.

If Borel does it tomorrow, there should be some sort of trophy commemorating this feat.

In the meantime, not all turf writers think Mine That Bird will win. See the roundup at the link above and scroll to the bottom.

Kentucky Derby 2009 [Updated]

Mine That Bird's connections are basking in the afterglow following his huge upset win in yesterday's Kentucky Derby.

The winner traveled hundreds of miles from New Mexico to win the race in Louisville.

Meanwhile, jockey Calvin Borel defied the odds by hugging the rail.

Here is Borel's Derby record:

Year Horse Finish
1993 Rockamundo 17th
2000 Exchange Rate 12th
2001 Arctic Boy 12th
2003 Ten Cents A Shine 8th
2007 Street Sense 1st
2008 Denis of Cork 3rd
2009 Mine That Bird 1st

This YouTube below is a split-screen version of the race. It is much better called, by the way.



This version illustrates just how brilliant Borel's ride was.

Here is the NBC version uploaded by yours truly (or rather my brother) yesterday shortly after the race:




For the record, none of these writers picked Mine That Bird to win.


Mine That Bird didn't do too well in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Dirt:

The 135th Kentucky Derby [Updated]

And the winner is...

Longshot Mine That Bird in a spectacular upset. Pioneerof the Nile was second, and Musket Man finished third.

He was 50-1. Not only that, but the horse was a true Cinderella story, for he had been purchased for $9,500. His pedigree, however, isn't obscure, for he was sired by 2004 Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone, who in turn was sired by 1996 Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone. Another grandsire was 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled.


It's a double for jockey Calvin Borel. He won yesterday's Kentucky Oaks aboard Rachel Alexandra as well as today's race:



The race: