ELMONT, N.Y. - Horsemen and handicappers can expect a fast main track by post time for Saturday's 141st Belmont Stakes, NYRA maintenance officials said Saturday morning.
"I would think so," said Glen Kozak, the New York Racing Association's direct of racing surfaces. "With a little luck."
Though it was cloudy Saturday morning, the rain is gone. The forecast calls for increasing sunshine as the day goes along with a high temperature of 80 degrees.
ELMONT, N.Y. - By mid-day Saturday, Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird was established as a strong favorite for the Belmont Stakes.
At 1:20 p.m., with $2.06 million in the pool, Mine That Bird was the even-money choice. He was followed in the odds by Charitable Man (5-1), Chocolate Candy (6-1), Dunkirk (6-1), Summer Bird (12-1), Flying Private (16-1), Luv Gov (20-1), Miner's Escape (21-1), Mr. Hot Stuff (22-1), and Brave Victory (27-1).
ELMONT, N.Y. - For a guy who was suddenly, unexpectedly thrust into the public eye five weeks ago when Mine That Bird scored an upset in the Kentucky Derby, trainer Chip Woolley has handled himself with the self-assurance and wisdom of someone who has been down this road countless times before.
:: RACE OF THE DAY:
For Calvin Borel, the week of the Belmont Stakes is unfolding like none other. Riding favored Mine That Bird on Saturday, Borel stands a chance to become the first jockey to sweep the Triple Crown on more than one horse, having won the Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird and the Preakness on Rachel Alexandra.
ELMONT, N.Y - In some respects, trainer Tim Ice and his horse Summer Bird mirror each other. Entering Saturday's 141st Belmont Stakes, both are light on experience, but long on potential.
"He hasn't been doing it long and neither have I,'' said Ice, who celebrates his 35th birthday on Saturday. "We're both here together and hopefully we can win one of these Triple Crown races.''
ELMONT, N.Y. - For a little more than a decade now, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin has dealt with having multiple sclerosis. Except for one thing, you might not notice that he's battling a disease. He's still got the same bawdy laugh, the same passion for training, and he's still a formidable opponent at poker. The only outward sign of the disease is that he drags his right leg when he's walking, something McLaughlin handles with self-effacing humor.
Trainer Chip Woolley got a rude awakening before leaving for New York on an early flight Tuesday. Overnight, a burglar had broken into Woolley's truck in the parking lot of the Louisville hotel where he has been staying. The thief stole at least two things: a global-positioning system, and the official registration papers for Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.
By David Grening
ELMONT, N.Y. - Only nine weeks ago, the burning question in Thoroughbred racing was whether Dunkirk would make it into the Kentucky Derby field.
Following a second-place finish in the Florida Derby on March 29, it was debatable whether Dunkirk would have enough graded stakes earnings to qualify for the usually oversubscribed Kentucky Derby field. But as the remaining prep races unfolded and as other 3-year-olds fell by the wayside due to injury, Dunkirk's spot in the Derby field was secured.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The faint, then dashed, hope of a Belmont Stakes rematch between Mine That Bird and Rachel Alexandra has been replaced by the reality of a compelling matchup between the late-running Mine That Bird and the speedy Charitable Man, making Saturday's Belmont Stakes, like the Preakness three weeks ago, a classic clash of opposing race styles. Both camps, though, are equally confident their horse will prevail in the final leg of the Triple Crown on Saturday at Belmont Park, and they sounded off Monday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Mine That Bird had what his trainer and jockey called a "perfect" final workout Monday morning for the Belmont Stakes, as the gelding breezed a half-mile in 50 seconds over a fast track at Churchill Downs.
Jockey Calvin Borel and trainer Chip Woolley both said Mine That Bird is as ready as can be for the Belmont, for which he will be a solid favorite when the 1 1/2-mile race is run Saturday for the 141st time at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
