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The following pages contain historical chronicles from multiple sources documenting the "Mine That Bird" story. Some shower praise, some critical, some humorous and others downright silly but all contributed to his fame and are certainly a good read. Credits and sources are attached to each where possible and are the sole property of the publication or photographer noted. UFO or not, we thank you for your hard work and dedication to your craft, and we appreciate how you brought the Bird's story to the world.  - Mark Allen, Dr. Leonard P. Blach and the "BIRD".                                                                                                       
Borel, Woolley Look Ahead to Belmont
 Bloodhorse
 June 1, 2009 - With firm knowledge that the Preakness (gr. I)-winning filly Rachel Alexandra would pass on a possible run in the third jewel of the Triple Crown, trainer Bennie “Chip” Woolley Jr. and jockey Calvin Borel are both enthusiastically looking forward to the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) and a bid to take two-thirds of the crown with Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner and Preakness runner-up Mine That Bird. read entire story
 
Mine That Bird's Owners Check In
Bloodhorse
June 1, 2009 - Mine That Bird’s entourage grew a bit the morning of May 31 as Mark Allen and Dr. Leonard Blach, the New Mexico-based co-owners of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr.  I) winner, made a quick stop in Louisville en route to New York for the June 6 Belmont Stakes (gr. I).
 read entire story 
 

Mine That Bird pronounced ready for Belmont
Malcolm C. Knox - Sports News - June 1st, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Calvin Borel is back on Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and everyone in the thoroughbred’s camp is happy about it. read entire story
 
Thief leaves Mine That Bird without papers
By Jennie Rees -The Courier-Journal • June 2, 2009
Chip Woolley, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, has raved for weeks how great everybody in Louisville is. He suffered an unfortunate exception early Tuesday morning, finding that someone had broken into his truck in the parking lot of his hotel — just as he had to fly out to New York. read entire story
 
Borel predicts Belmont victory for Mine That Bird - Jockey says Mine That Bird the horse to beat
By Alicia Wincze - awincze@herald-leader.com
LOUISVILLE — June 2, 2009 - The minute Calvin Borel was hoisted into Mine That Bird's saddle Monday morning, everyone watching couldn't help but notice the difference. read entire story
 
Dr. Blach Makes New York Housecall
By Lenny Shulman - Bloodhorse
June 4, 2009 - So, when the interviews are done and night spreads over Churchill Downs and all that remains to be done at Churchill Downs is cleaning tons of trash off the ground, does one’s life really change after winning the world’s most famous race? read entire story
 
First trip to Belmont leaves impression on trainer Chip Woolley Jr.
By Darrell Williams - June 04, 2009
 Jockey Calvin Borel, with trainer Chip Woolley Jr., rang the bell to open trading Thursday at the New York Stock Exchange.
ELMONT, N.Y. -- Trainer Chip Woolley was struck by the size of Belmont Park when he took Mine That Bird to the mile-and-a-half track for a gallop Thursday morning. read entire story
 
Borel, a day in the life of a Triple Crown hero - Jockey will ride Mine That Bird at Belmont in try for personal Triple Crown
By Marty McGee - Daily Racing Form
June 4, 2009 - 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.
read entire story
 
Chock full o' Opinions
by - Andy Serling
New York - June 05, 2009 - Well, the waiting is pretty much finally over, and the website clock ( which seemed to be leading to a time that confused me and my computer ) is ticking down to zero, whereupon I can only assume it will reset to 364 days plus ( a reminder I’m not quite sure how I will feel about during the winter months at the Big A ), and the big day is upon us. And, quite a big day it is. Before we give our final Belmont Stakes thoughts, let’s turn our attention to the five other Stakes races on the Belmont card. read entire story
 
One For The Birds
Posted by: Jenny Kellner 
New York - June 06, 2009 - So a little before 11 o’clock this morning, I’m standing outside the clubhouse entrance when this monstrous vehicle pulls up, a black stretch SUV about a furlong long. Oh my, here come the cowboys. It’s Mine That Bird’s crew, dressed all in black with their black cowboy hats and shades, and as they’re walking into the clubhouse, the giant Air Force cargo plane flies low over Belmont Park and I’m wondering if it’s some kind of sign. read entire story
 
Belmont Stakes: Calvin Borel has blasted out of thoroughbred racing shadows with chance to win personal Triple Crown
By Dave Scheiber, Tampa Bay Times - Saturday, June 6, 2009
Calvin Borel rode Mine That Bird to a Kentucky Derby victory May 2 and Rachel Alexandra, above, to a Preakness win May 16. Up next: a shot to win today’s Belmont on Mine That Bird.
read entire story
 
Sweet 'Bird' of Youth Delivers for Desormeaux, Ice
Story by: Francis LaBelle Jr.
New York - June 6, 2009 - Redemption came from off the pace Saturday afternoon, on a day when speed ruled and youth was served.
Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, after six failed tries that included “the toughest beat in history” with Real Quiet in 1998 and last year’s aborted Triple Crown attempt with Big Brown, capped a four-win day with his first Belmont Stakes victory aboard Drs. Kalarikkal and Vilasini “Devi” Jayaraman’s 11-1 longshot Summer Bird before a crowd of 52,861 at Belmont Park. Summer Bird paid $25.80 to win. read entire story
 
Belmont Stakes Day Crowd of 52,861 Wagers $9,021,196 On Track
Story by: Dan Silver
All-Sources Handle Totals $89,705,994 – A Record For A Non-Triple Crown Year And An Impressive 18.6 Percent All Sources Handle Increase.
A crowd of 52,861 wagered $9,021,196 on Belmont Stakes Day races, a 2 percent increase over $8,843,720 in 2007, the most recent year when a Triple Crown was not on the line. read entire story
 
For Borel, no win and no regrets
Story by: David Grening Source: Daily Racing Form
New York - June 7, 2009 - In a town known for its sports guarantees, Calvin Borel proved to be more Patrick Ewing than Joe Namath or Mark Messier.
Borel spent all week guaranteeing that Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird would win Saturday's Belmont Stakes, but in the end, the duo could do no better than a third-place finish, about three lengths behind Summer Bird. Ewing, a former center for the New York Knicks, often guaranteed victories in the playoffs but never delivered. Namath guaranteed the New York Jets would win Super Bowl III and they did. Messier guaranteed the New York Rangers would win the sixth game of the Eastern Conference finals in 1994 and they did, primarily because he scored a hat trick in that game. read entire story
 
2009 Belmont Stakes Quotes
Story by: NYRA Press Office
New York, June 6, 2009 - Todd Pletcher, trainer of runner-up Dunkirk (No. 2): “He ran well. I told Johnny (Velazquez, jockey) the same thing I told him all week – we wanted him to get into his rhythm. He made the lead very easily and we were very happy with that. At the three-eighths pole, we thought he might have been lucky.” read entire story
 
Belmont Stakes Follow-up Notes
Story by: NYRA Press Office
New York, June 7, 2009 - Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird obviously loves New York – so much so, that he could return this summer to run at Saratoga Race Course in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes and the Grade 1, $1 million Shadwell Travers Stakes. read entire story
 
Haskin's Belmont Wrapup: Avian Adventures
 By Steve Haskin - Bloodhorse
Updated: Tuesday, June 9, 2009 1:32 PM
The 141st Belmont Stakes (gr. I) proved one thing: you can crown two birds with one stone. The victory by Summer Bird in the 141st Belmont Stakes (gr. I), combined with Mine That Bird’s spectacular score in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), enabled Birdstone to accomplish the extraordinary feat of siring two different winners of a Triple Crown race in the same year. That hadn’t been done since Count Fleet sired Kentucky Derby winner Count Turf and Belmont winner Counterpoint in 1951. The fact both colts came from Birdstone’s first crop made it all the more amazing. read entire story
 
Mine That Bird’s Triple Crown journey
 When partners Mark Allen and Leonard Blach were toying with the idea of running their gelding Mine That Bird, in the Kentucky Derby, they didn’t touch base with some of the heavyweights in the business. The been-there, done-that crowd. pdf format - published in the July issue of SureBet Racing News
photo credit: Laura L. Flynn
 
Team MINE THAT BIRD visits Derby Museum to watch their “Greatest Race”
June 12, 2009 - Derby winning Jockey Calvin Borel and Trainer Chip Woolley along with Derby winning owners Dr. Leonard Blach and Mark Allen were in the Museum today. After the unveiling of this year’s “Greatest Race” our 17 minute 360-degree film, the team proceeded to the new Capture the Moment exhibit on the second floor of the Museum. read entire story
 

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird is headed to the West Virginia Derby
Roswell, NM – June 12, 2009 - Owner Mark Allen told SureBet that the New Mexico horse who’s captivating run through the Triple Crown has injected new wave of energy into the horse racing industry will run in the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby on Aug. 1. read entire story
 

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