Gitano Hernando ruled out of Belmont Stakes

Calvin Borel believes although Rachel Alexandra struggled with the track surface and the heat in winning the Preakness he will have no problem running in the forthcoming Belmont Stakes.

Borel, the filly's jockey, said Rachel Alexandra could handle the mile-and-a-half Belmont, the longest of the Triple Crown races, should her connections decide to run her on June 6.

"She'd be just fine," Borel said at his base at Churchill Downs in Louisville. "The reason she struggled in the Preakness was because the track was very dry. It was supposed to rain and I don't think the guys wet it enough. It was very powdery, like dry sand.

"She put so much power into her strides, it was just breaking out from under her. She won but you didn't see the real Rachel Alexandra. She won on heart."

Borel won the Kentucky Derby aboard Mine That Bird before guiding Rachel Alexandra to a one-length victory in the Preakness last Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

He said he was concerned about the heat following the filly's near wire-to-wire victory in the Preakness, a race in which she won from the far outside in the field of 13.

"She was catching a heat stroke and I was very concerned about her," he said. "I wanted to get her back and get some water on her.

"My biggest concern was the horse because I know she's the greatest thing in the world and she was getting overheated.

"She struggled so much in the race and when I pulled her up she started acting a little funny. I know that because I know her like the back of my hand.

"She never did that before. Once we got water on her, she was fine."

The jockey is now waiting to see if Rachel Alexandra's owners decide to run her in the $1 million Belmont and give her the chance to become the first filly to win two Triple Crown races.

Borel is under contract to ride the filly but if her owners back out, the 42-year-old jockey would probably return to Preakness runner-up Mine That Bird for the Belmont.

Either way, Borel would be in line for a jockey's Triple Crown, a feat never before achieved on more than one horse. He won the 19-horse Derby by a staggering 6-3/4 lengths on a 50-1 long shot before winning the Preakness on a 9-5 favorite.

The soft-spoken Borel has won the Kentucky Derby two of the last three years, winning in 2007 aboard Street Sense, but does not receive the publicity given to some of his peers who race in New York or California.

Borel said he was fine with his relative anonymity and that he loves racing regardless of the purse.

"If I could win all three Triple Crown races would be just awesome," said Borel, a Louisiana native. "Whether it's the Derby or a $5,000 race I'm going to give 110 per cent."

"You've got to ride them to win. That's what they're paying me for so I'm going to give them the best of my ability no matter what."

Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness Stakes runner-up
Mine That Bird prepares for the upcoming Belmont Stakes
with a gallop on Saturday,

Preakness heroine Rachel Alexandra will skip the 141st running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 6, freeing jockey Calvin Borel to ride Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the 1½-mile “Test of the Champion.”

“After careful consideration, we have decided not to run Rachel Alexandra in the Belmont Stakes next weekend,” Jess Jackson said in a statement issued late Friday afternoon on behalf of Rachel Alexander’s co-owners, Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick. “We have advised Calvin Borel, (Mine That Bird’s trainer) Chip Woolley and Belmont of our decision. We thank them, the media, and the fans for their many courtesies and patience while we pondered.

“We know the media and many fans would have liked to see her run in the Belmont Stakes -- we feel the same. But all of us sincerely interested in the horse must agree that we only want to see her run when it is best for her. While she is in great shape, having strong works, and recovering well from her amazing performances, we feel Rachel deserves a well-earned vacation. Since March 14, Rachel has won four graded races with just two weeks rest between her last two victories. We will always put her long-term well-being first. And, of course, we want to run her when she is fresh.”

While Jackson declined to specify a next start for the three-year-old filly, he did say that she would make a start at Belmont Park this season.

Hope the lads took the 12/10??

a no brainer as far as I'm concerned - looking forward to the BC already!

Mine That Bird, jockey Calvin Borel up, leaves the track at Churchill
Downs in Louisville, Ky., Monday, June 1, 2009, following a workout

MINE THAT BIRD, ante-post favourite for the Belmont Stakes in New York on Saturday after winning the Kentucky Derby and finishing a closing second in the Preakness Stakes, recorded his final serious work for the last of the Triple Crown races on Monday morning at Churchill Downs with half a mile in 50sec under jockey Calvin Borel.

"We're going to win it, no questions asked," Borel said of the Belmont after Mine That Bird's work.

"I loved the way he went today. He really came bouncing off the track once we were done. That's what I love about him. He's just so happy."

Mine That Bird's trainer Bennie 'Chip' Woolley said: "I was just thinking last week that he's been training even better than he was going into the Derby."

Mine That Bird completes Belmont prep


MINE THAT BIRD, ante-post favourite for the Belmont Stakes in New York on Saturday after winning the Kentucky Derby and finishing a closing second in the Preakness Stakes, recorded his final serious work for the last of the Triple Crown races on Monday morning at Churchill Downs with half a mile in 50sec under jockey Calvin Borel.


"We're going to win it, no questions asked," Borel said of the Belmont after Mine That Bird's work.

"I loved the way he went today. He really came bouncing off the track once we were done. That's what I love about him. He's just so happy."

Mine That Bird's trainer Bennie 'Chip' Woolley said: "I was just thinking last week that he's been training even better than he was going into the Derby."

Mine That Bird will be flown on a charter plane toNew York on Wednesday after galloping that morning, Woolley said.

"I think we're in good shape going into the Belmont. It's going to be a tough race, and how many do I fear? How many are in there? Wayne's (Lukas) horse Flying Private (fourth in the Preakness after finishing last in the Derby) is on the improve and Kiaran's (McLaughlin) horse (Peter Pan Stakes winner Charitable Man) is a sheer monster and he likes that track."

Earlier on Monday moning at Churchill Downs, Preakness and Kentucky Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra, who will miss the Belmont, worked five furlongs in 1min 1.60sec under exercise rider Dominic Terry.


Trainer Steve Asmussen said that the Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes over 1m 1f over the main track at Belmont Park on June 26 remained a possibility for his filly.

"How long a break (owner Jess Jackson) wants her to take will depend on his goals for her for the second half of the year," said Asmussen.

"I think everybody gets to take a step back and take a deep breath. We'll take a little bit of the pressure off her and just enjoy her. We were very pleased with how she went. We'll see what sort of energy she comes out of it with. As always, we'll be talking with Jess and communicating where we feel she is.

Mine that bird just drew the 7 gate from 10 runners,don`t know if the draw counts with his style?

don't think it'll matter hibby - let them charge off he'll pick 'em up coming home!

Had an email from the big guy Barry, he is driving to the meeting and also recons P.T.P.

If The Bird wins and takes two-thirds of the Triple Crown, the year will be remembered for three things:

1. Rachel Rachel Rachel

2. The owners of The Bird and Pioneer of Nial conspiring to keep the filly out of the Preakness.

3. Jess Jackson of Curlin fame went from being despised by horsemen to a respected figure for being sportsman enough to buy the filly and run her where her previous owners would not.