Mine That Bird was very much overlooked by the mainstream media in the pre-Derby coverage and he wiggled under the radar for a dramatic win with the Calvin Borel's skillful ride.
The champion two-year-old of Canada, Mine That Bird is a gelding and was last on national television in the Breeders Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita last fall--this is no homegrown desert flower! His pedigree reveals that is by Birdstone, the Belmont Stakes and Travers winner who spoiled Smarty Jones' Triple Crown bid in 2005.
That was an exciting two minutes of television and this horse and his crew deserve a lot of respect.
The fact that MTB currently hails from Texas should not make anyone blink. Triple Crown winner Assault was from Texas; someone go whisper that in Mine That Bird's ear.
I don't know anything about who shod this horse, or even in what state he was shod, but he is co-owned by Dr. Leonard Blach of Buena Suerta Equine Cllnic in Roswell, New Mexico. (Yes, that Roswell!)
Congratulations to everyone connected to this horse! And thanks to Sarah for the photo taken this week at Churchill Downs.
