MINE THAT BIRD

For those of you who don’t follow horse racing, Mine That Bird was the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner.

I like to watch the Derby every year but I don’t know the first thing about horse racing. Last year (May 2009) we were parked at Elephant Butte, NM next to Mike and Sandy. Mike casually mentioned that a horse from Roswell was running in the derby and that he knew the owners. Said the horse didn’t have a chance but the owners figured it would be great to say they had a horse that ran in the Derby.

We made plans to watch the race but decided not to place a bet especially since we didn’t know how to place that bet.

Well, guess what. That horse won at 50-1 odds. Mine That Bird was the only gelding in the field and was dead last. But his jockey road him to the rail and he ended up winning by 6 3/4 lengths. This victory margin was the largest since Assault won by 8 lengths in 1946.

His trainer, Chip Wooley, drove the horse from New Mexico to Kentucky by van with a broken leg. What an amazing story of an underdog who didn’t give up.

The horse is owned by Dr. Leonard Blach of Buena Suerte Equine farm and Mark Allen of Double Eagle Ranch.

While in Roswell Mike and Sandy took us out to meet Dr. Blach and see where Mine that Bird was trained. The horse was in Kentucky but he will be at the Ranch next time we get there and we get to go back and meet him.

For me, this was such an exciting adventure. Being able to see their other studs and how beautiful they are. WOW. It was too windy to work the horses so I’m hoping that next time we get to watch them working out.

We also got to meet Jerry Nicodemus, an American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame jockey. He now works as the Training Center Manager for the Double Eagle Ranch.