Horse Racing - Mine that Bird favorite for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes

The winner of the Kentucky Derby, Mine that Bird, is now the favorite to win this year’s Belmont Stakes which is taking place next Saturday. After an early practice on Monday morning, that its trainer and jockey called a “perfect” final workout, everything seems to be ready for the colt who is now becoming a strong and solid favorite to win the last event of this year’s Triple Crown. This was supposed an edition of the rivalry between Mine that Bird and Rachel Alexandra; Mine that Bird won the Kentucky Derby on May 2nd and Rachel Alexandra won the Preakness, but the latter was withdrawn from the competition last Friday since her co-owner, Jess Jackson, wanted to give the filly a break after winning the Preakness, her sixth straight victory of the year. Now, all of the hopes and expectations are set on Mine that Bird, which is going to be ride by Calvin Borel, who is trying to become the first jockey to win the tree races of the Triple Crown with different horses. He was riding Mine that Bird when he won the Kentucky Derby, then he rode Rachel Alexandra and won the Preakness and now he is back with Mine that Bird for the Belmont Stakes. The Belmont Stakes is the longest and most difficult race from the Triple Crown. It can be very exhaustive too, that is why the horse has to be in complete good shape. Since on this race the pace is not as faster as on other shorter races, all of the horses are going to be close to one another. Mine That Bird is known by his late-running style, so this could be an advantage form him at this race, as trainer Chip Woolley said at the post position draw at Belmont Park, "With his running style, we're going to have to let him run his race. When you start slowing the fractions down, if you let him run his same race, he's going to move way on up. If we can just be within 10 or 12 lengths of them, I feel comfortable he'll have enough to come kicking in" In addition, now that Rachel Alexandra is out, the other horse that is coming as favorite is Charitable Man, so many expect this crown to be disputed between him and Mine that Bird. This will make the race very interesting since both of the horses are really good but their racing styles are completely different. The trainer of Charitable Man, Kiaran McLaughlin, has stated that Charitable Man has all of the chances to win the Belmont Stakes. He won the Peter Pan Stakes four weeks ago in the same track of Belmont Park and he has expressed that this worked as a preparation for the Belmont Stakes since he already knows the track. He also said that the horse seems to be in the same good shape he was four weeks ago in the Peter Pan Stakes. Apart from Mine That Bird and Charitable Man, the other horses expected to be entered in the 1 1/2-mile race are Brave Victory, Chocolate Candy, Dunkirk, Flying Private, Luv Gov, Miner's Escape, Mr. Hot Stuf, and Summer Bird.