Mine That Bird back at Churchill; Woolley mulling rider for Belmont

Mine That Bird back at Churchill; Woolley mulling rider for

Belmont

Mine That Bird is in search of another rider (Equi-Sport Photos) Kentucky Derby (G1) winner MINE THAT BIRD (Birdstone), a gallant runner-up to the brilliant filly RACHEL ALEXANDRA (Medaglia d'Oro) in the Preakness S. (G1), returned to his stall at Barn 42 at Churchill Downs Monday evening following a road trip from Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course. Last year's Canadian champion juvenile will return to the track on Tuesday to begin his preparation for a run in the Belmont S. (G1), the third jewel of racing's Triple Crown that will be run on June 6 at New York's Belmont Park. Trainer Bennie "Chip" Woolley Jr. rolled his truck and the trailer that carried the Derby winner to halt in front of the barn at 6:30 p.m. (EDT). The gelding stepped off the van following the 9 1/2-hour journey and into the barn, where he took a few rounds to stretch his legs. Mine That Bird then relaxed by grazing in the lush grass behind the barn.

"The trip was great -- it went smooth as silk," Woolley said. "He looks good.

He come off the trailer pretty relaxed and looks all right, so we're pretty

happy with where he's at right now."

The journey from Baltimore was less eventful than Mine That Bird's journey

through the 1 3/16-mile Preakness. The Derby winner ran into some traffic

problems and had to swing wide for the run down the stretch with a furious rally

under jockey Mike Smith. He erased all but one length from his early deficit to

the victorious Rachel Alexandra, who was coming off a 20 1/4-length triumph in

the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

"You've got to give a lot of credit to that filly," Woolley said. "She run

huge and deserves all the respect. She run a great race and we just come up a

little short."

Mine That Bird won't get much time to relax on his return to the track where

he notched his 6 3/4-length victory at odds of 50-1 in the May 2 Kentucky Derby.

Woolley said Mine That Bird would head back to the track on Tuesday to resume

his training for the Belmont. 

"We'll just maybe jog him a couple of rounds backwards tomorrow and then go

back and gallop the next day," Woolley said. "We don't know when we'll work him.

We'll let him decide that. He's run two hard races and we'll let him freshen up

a little bit. When he starts to showing he's a little too fresh, he'll stretch

his legs.  But we'll make that decision later."

As he returned to Churchill Downs, Woolley and co-owners Mark Allen and Dr.

Leonard Blach found themselves in the unusual position of again looking for a

jockey to ride Mine That Bird in the Belmont. Calvin Borel gave up the mount

after the Derby to ride Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. Mike Smith was aboard

for the Derby winner's big effort in the Preakness, but he is committed to ride

Madeo (Mizzen Mast) for trainer John Shirreffs and owners Jerry and Ann Moss in

the Charles Whittingham Memorial H. (G1) at Hollywood Park on Belmont Stakes

Day.

Smith rode Giacomo to victory in the 2005 Kentucky Derby for the Mosses and

Shirreffs, and is the regular rider for their unbeaten champion mare Zenyatta

(Street Cry [Ire]). So Smith will honor an earlier commitment to ride Madeo in

the Whittingham.

"I don't know," Woolley said. "It's kinda funny. You'd think if you get a

horse this good, you'd keep one, but apparently not. So we'll deal with that

here in a couple of days and we'll see what happens."

Woolley said he's heard from the agents of several riders who are interested

in the mount on the Derby winner in the 1 1/2-mile third jewel of the Triple

Crown. He has not made up his mind, but indicated that he won't wait to see

whether Rachel Alexandra goes on to the Belmont. If the filly does not run, it

would free Borel to ride the horse he piloted to the second-biggest upset in

Kentucky Derby history.

"We're going to make a decision pretty quickly, so we'll see what happens,"

Woolley said. "Patience is probably the number one concern. Is somebody patient

and will they wait and see how things develop. We'll just have to see how it

goes."

While Mine That Bird will be in familiar surroundings at Churchill Downs as

he prepares for the Belmont, Woolley said his Derby winner could have a

different ride when he makes the trip to Belmont Park. Woolley said Mine That

Bird would probably fly to Belmont in the days before the race rather than

travel in his trailer because of concerns about traffic on the trip to the

Elmont, New York, track.