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:

Kentucky Derby

Because of a hot spot in I Want Revenge's left front ankle, the favorite will be scratched from today's race.

The injury isn't considered career-threatening.

Miscellaneous

An eagle gets ready to go back into the wild after recovering from a near fatal poisoning:

Wildlife Images worker Cyndee Maunu was called to an upper Rogue River farm in February to capture a wounded bald eagle, but the rescue trip quickly became what appeared to be the tragic recovery of a dead raptor.

She found the bird comatose and barely breathing, like a feathery rag doll.

"When I held it in my arms, its head flopped down and its wings just sagged," Maunu says. "When I put it in the cage, I thought it had expired."

Now that floppy head is erect, its eyes as steely as ever. And come Tuesday, air again will be beneath the wings of this eagle as it is returned to freedom — the latest animal-rehabilitation success story for this Merlin-based operation.

The eagle that was discovered almost poisoned to death by lead and fertilizer will be freed Tuesday in the air over Lost Creek Lake, near the ranch where it was found less than two months ago.

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Since "only" 20 horses are allowed to race in the Kentucky Derby, here is the list of the prospective runners, with their earnings to date.
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"Spontaneity" is NOT the guiding principle when it comes to "knowing" the Obama's; instead, political strategy is.
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