Mine That Bird 2-1 Favorite For Belmont

Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Mine That Bird was among 10 3-year-olds entered for the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) on June 6.

At the post position draw at Belmont Park June 3, Mine That Bird drew post 7 and was installed the 2-1 morning-line favorite by New York Racing Association odds maker, Eric Donovan. Jockey Calvin Borel, aboard for the Derby, is back aboard Mine That Bird, and is going for unprecedented personal sweep of the Triple Crown. Borel, who did not attend the post position draw, won the Preakness (gr. I) aboard filly Rachel Alexandra. Mine That Bird, with Mike Smith aboard, finished second in the Preakness. Chip Woolley, Mine That Bird’s trainer, had the breakfast crowd in stitches when he said to master of ceremonies and track announcer, Tom Durkin: “The only person more surprised about winning the Derby than me was you.” The good-natured comment was in reference to Durkin failing to pick up the gelding’s presence in the stretch, until Mine That Bird had a couple-length lead on the field. “If we can be within 10 of 12 lengths of (the leaders), I feel comfortable he has enough kick left,” Woolley said of Mine That Bird’s pronounced closing style.

Belmont Stakes (G1) field

Post Horse Jockey Trainer Morning-line odds

1. Chocolate Candy Garrett Gomez Jerry Hollendorfer 10-to-1

2. Dunkirk John Velazquez Todd Pletcher 4-to-1

3. Mr. Hot Stuff Edgar Prado Eoin Harty 15-to-1

4. Summer Bird Kent Desormeaux Tim Ice 12-to-1

5. Luv Gov Miguel Mena D. Wayne Lukas 20-to-1

6. Charitable Man Alan Garcia Kiaran McLaughlin 3-to-1

7. Mine That Bird Calvin Borel Chip Woolley 2-to-1

8. Flying Private Julien Leparoux D. Wayne Lukas 12-to-1

9. Miner’s Escape Jose Lezcano Nick Zito 15-to-1

10. Brave Victory Rajiv Maragh Nick Zito 15-to-1

Seems odd rooting for the jockey and not the horse, but that seems to be how it’s shaping up here.
I don’t think Bo was blest with many gifts from God, but, he has certainly done well with the gift of riding a horse. And yes, his parents would be proud of him, (something that may have been missing in his youth.

I’m not rooting for either. Don’t like MTB. Just said Borel could do it and it would be an interesting feat.
I’m pulling for Charitable Man and/or Dunkirk as things stand right now. Past Performances will be available sometime this afternoon. Won’t make my final decision until right before the race. Need to see the odds, track conditions and all that. :-)

Finally got the PPs for the Belmont, and I can see why you like Charitable Man, but, jeez, this is a horse that hasn’t really been talked about much!
Only four races, but very strong ones.
Looking at the EXTRAORDINARILY FAST early pace of the Peter Pan, and how he won it running second and closing 11+ lengths in the stretch, he could just be the pacesetter you think he will be.
That also indicates that Brave Victory is a contender, since he closed a ton off that fast pace, and got third.
He could be one to get second or third in the Belmont.
LOTS of natural closers in this race, but I tend to think the Belmont won’t be won by a closer.
Only two horses I can confidently eliminate from first through fourth superfec finishes are Luv Gov and Miner’s Escape. Too bad lots of horses in this race had such miserable-looking Derby finishes, but that may have been due to the slop. FLYING PRIVATE’s Derby looks particularly pathetic, but I could actually see him getting at least a fourth in the Belmont. I wish Musket Man were running-—then we’d have a REAL race. As it is though, I see this shaping up, with so many closers as an interesting race to watch unfold because the first 3/4 mile (the first HALF) could be taken up with calculations of pace, tentative stalking, positioning, etc.way beyond what you’d see in a normal race. We could well see seven horses closing down the stretch, whips a flailin’.
My picks for the Super Chocolate Candy-Dunkirk-Charitable Man- then for fourth MTB, FP, BV, and SBird.

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