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Mine That Bird Aims to Fly High in Goodwood Stakes
By GREG MELIKOV
Mine That Bird attempts to become the first Kentucky Derby winner to win the $350,000 Goodwood Stakes as a 3-year-old during Oak Tree’s 41st meeting at Santa Anita Park.
Two others that triumphed in the Run for the Roses captured the Goodwood as 4-year-olds: Silver Charm in 1998 and Ferdinand in ‘87.
Only two sophomores have scored since the inaugural in ‘82, including Tiznow, who won in ‘00 before posting the first of two consecutive Breeders’ Cup Classic victories.
Two other winners also were victorious in the BC Classic: Pleasantly Perfect in ‘03, the last back-to-winner, and Ferdinand in ‘87.
Tiago, one of this year’s Goodwood Stakes contenders, scored two years ago as a 3-year-old after running seventh to Street Sense in the Kentucky Derby. The 5-year-old son of Pleasant Tap, second last year to Well Armed, covered six furlongs in 1:12 2/5 handily last Saturday at Hollywood Park.
Mine That Bird, the probable favorite hoping to become the 12th to triumph, hasn’t been out of the money in his last four starts, but failed to visit the winner’s circle since his last-to-first victory at Churchill Downs.
The son of Birdstone drilled five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 handily on Tuesday at Santa Anita with jockey Joe Talamo in the irons for Calvin Borel. That was 1 3/5 seconds faster than his work a week ago.
“I thought he went perfect this morning,” trainer Chip Woolley Jr. told Brisnet.com. “I’m pleased with the way he did it. He was smokin’ that last eighth — I had the last eighth to the wire in 11 and two (fifths of a second). The sun was in my eyes, so I wasn’t able to catch him galloping out six furlongs, but he must’ve got that extra eighth in 12 and one or two. He was really, really marchin’.”
Although Mine That Bird finished last in a field of 12 in the ‘08 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Oak Tree, Woolley recebtly pointed out “he won four straight races on Polytrack at Woodbine last year, and handled the synthetic surface here well last year.
“He didn’t get a very good trip in the Juvenile. He was wide all the way around there and he pressed the pace. This year, we’ll change things up. Hopefully, it’ll work.”
Other likely Goodwood Stakes starters include:
Chocolate Candy, fifth in this year’s Derby and ninth in the Belmont Stakes. The son of Candy Ride, who hasn’t won since taking two stakes at Golden Gate Fields, zipped four furlongs in 47 4/5 on Monday at Santa Anita.
Colonel John, sixth to Big Brown in last year’s Derby before taking the Travers. The son of Tiznow, who finished fifth to Richard the Kid in the Pacific Classic on Sept. 6 at Del Mar, breezed five furlongs on Monday over the Pro-Ride surface.
Richard’s Kid, who has three victories this year. Before nosing out Einstein in Del Mar’s premier stakes race, the 4-year-old son last won at Laurel Park in February. On Tuesday, the son of Lemon Drop Kid posted a bullet 46 4/5 for four furlongs at Santa Anita.
Informed, ninth in the Pacific Classic before capturing the Californian Stakes at Hollywood and the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar.
Parading, fourth in that Del Mar stakes after registering back-to-back wins in stakes at Pimlico and Keeneland. The 6-year-old son of Pulpit has more wins on the grass –5.
Tres Borrachos, 11th in the Pacific Coast. Talamo returns to guide the 4-year-old son of Ecton Park that last won in May at Hollywood Park.
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