Na na na na nah!
Fooled ya, didn't I?
Yes, it's true. A 50-1 longshot (very long!) has won the 135th Kentucky Derby today at Churchill Downs.
A Canadian champion at age 2, Mine That Bird was really not given any consideration for the roses at all. That stayed the case as the day went on, his odds pretty much sticking to the 50-1 area all day long.
After the scratch of favorite I Want Revenge, the race seemed pretty wide open, and I really think the rest of the field of 19 calmed down and relaxed a bit.
The track was pretty wet, though no rain fell today - it was still fairly sloppy at post time.
The race unfolded relatively uneventfully, and when it looked like Pioneerof The Nile was poised to give Bob Baffert his fourth Derby win, jockey Calvin Borel guided his winning mount through the obstacle course of horses and flew up the rail (in similar fashion to his win on Street Sense two years ago) and left the field in his wake.
His margin of victory (nearly 7 lengths) was the biggest since Assault in 1946. Whoa.
A totally convincing win, I'm sure it had oddsmakers and racing fans alike scratching their heads thinking "Now why didn't I think of that???"
Calvin Borel, after winning the race, had a real sweet time coming back to the winner's circle, prancing the longshot winner in front of the grandstands while whooping, hooting and hollering his Cajun self the entire way over. It was hysterical, but heartwarming to see him so tickled pink.
The trainer of Mine That Bird, Bennie "Chip" Wooley Jr., hopped into the Winner's Circle on crutches, having severly broken his leg in a motorcycle accident 2 months ago. He drove the Derby winner from New Mexico to Louisville - a 21 hour trip - himself. I'm sure he may have been pumped up on drugs to get through the day, but pure excitement - and some champagne - will no doubt help him along for the rest of the weekend and the trip home.
Mine That Bird is owned by the Double Eagle Ranch of Mark Allen and Buena Suerta Equine, owned by Leonard Blach. He was originally purchased for the low low bargain price of $9500 - nearly unheard of for a quality thoroughbred, but his current owners saw something so they bought him privately for $400,000.
The winner, a gelding, was Canadian 2 year old champion last year, and had an unusual road to the Derby, by way of Canada, California, and New Mexico. He only worked once at Churchill Downs.
His breeding says he could do it, though - his daddy (Birdstone) won the 2004 Belmont Stakes (ruining Smarty Jones's Triple Crown bid) and his granddaddy (Grindstone) won the Kentucky Derby in 1996. Also of note is his dam's sire, Smart Strike, is the sire of both 2006 Derby winner Street Sense, and two time horse of the year ('07 & '08) Curlin. So the breeding is there, obviously.
I had a ticket on him to win, so I was pretty psyched to learn he went off at 50-1, which is what he was last night when I made an advance bet at the OTB. Yipee!
His victory was the second biggest payout since Donerail back in 1913. Seriously.
Placing second was the Bob Baffert trained (and Santa Anita Derby winner) Pioneerof The Nile, and Illinois Derby winnner was the show horse.
No decisions have been made yet about running the Derby winner in the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore on May 16th, but I would be fairly shocked if the connections don't go that route, and would assume it would only be injury to the horse that would keep them from Pimlico for the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
It would be a HELL of a story if this 3 year old would make that kind of history, but you just never know. Any given day.
Any given year, for that matter.
In a bit of other weekend racing news:
The owners of the ill-fated filly, Eight Belles, were on hand for the newly named Eight Belles Stakes (gr III, and formerly known as the La Troienne) a few races before the Derby. Before the race, they were presented with a plaque and literally, eight bells rang out before the race. It was rather bittersweet. The race was won by Four Gifts. Sentimental favorite Just Jenda (trained and owned by Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones) came in second, and another Jones trainee, Warrior Maid, came in third.
In the Woodford Reserve Turf (gr 1T), the sensational 7 year old Einstein (above, far left) made history when he won the renowned race for a consecutive year. It's his 5th grade one win. He's a horse that's been in my fantasy stable for several years, in fact, and I'm always rooting for him. Fantastic, impressive, stellar job!
Also earlier this week, the new statue of Barbaro was unveiled near the entrance of Gate 1 at Churchill Downs.
The owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, were of course on hand, as well as trainer Michael Matz and Barbaro's veterinarian Dr. Dean Richardson. The artist was Alexa King. It is a fitting tribute to a brilliant racehorse..
So, in all, it was an eventful weekend. With the Barbaro statue unveiling, the Kentucky Oaks freak Rachel Alexandra's 20 length win, and the eye-popping victory by Mine That Bird today.
But there's someone waiting in the wings to spoil Mine That Bird's possible Triple Crown attempt... and he's - dare I say it? - out for revenge....
I Want Revenge says pooh-pooh to the longshot Derby victor.
Guess we'll see, won't we?
*photos by Reuters, AP, and Blood Horse...
