Bird Brothers Battle For Championship

Oh the competition among siblings. Following Summer Bird's "slapping in the slop" Shadwell Travers victory Saturday at Saratoga, one must wonder how voters are now leaning in the race for Champion 3-Year-Old Male. Never one to predict or at times even understand, the voters mindset in any election, I'm going out on a limb here and say they're set on that son of Birdstone. Ironically, it's two brothers - both invited to the Kentucky Derby on the same day only after other, more qualified 3-year-olds according to Derby conditions, dropped out due to last minute injuries.

On one hand we have the Kentucky Derby winner, ever popular, often troubled and maligned Mine That Bird (photo right). A star in Canada as a 2-year-old, and an also ran in El Paso early this year, Mine That Bird won the Run For The Roses at 50-1 with a late acceleration not seen in any classic in many years. Both Calvin Borel and Mike Smith have left him twice now in a bizarre year when they also ride historically good females Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra.

With four trips on Mine That Bird between them, Borel has an "A+" effort in the Derby but a kind "D" for moving Mine That Bird too early in the Belmont. Smith gets a trafffic riddled "B" for his ride on Mine That Bird in Preakness but a "C-" with a tough pace question in the easy West Virginia Derby class. Throw in a minor throat surgery, stolen papers, a trainer who can't walk but likes to drive instead of fly, the Derby announcer forgetting Mine That Bird's name in midstretch and I have to tell ya Steve Asmussen: Mine That Bird makes Kensei look like a first time starter with the Rodney Dangerfield thing.

On the other hand is Summer Bird (photo left). Bred in Kentucky and raised in Florida by his Arkansas owners orginally from India, Summer Bird was just another unraced 3-year-old in March, a maiden only winner in the grade 2 Arkansas Derby, a good six-place finisher as a longshot in the Derby, an 11-1 winner of the Belmont and no match for Rachel Alexandra in the Haskell. Trainer Tim Ice has all the name recognition of the Starlight Vocal Band but is at least no longer a one hit wonder with Summer Bird's Travers win.

Liike brother Mine That, Summer can run. He just has a different way of going about things. While Mine That Bird likes to lay back early and launch as if leaving Cape Kennedy, Summer Bird slowly orbits the track before hitting his thrusters as if using only his slower but steadier momentum for the success of the mission. Just as he did in the Travers.

Although he was much closer to the lead than jockey Kent Desormeaux had wanted, Summer Bird galloped along stalking longshot Our Edge and Kensei. Around the turn, with Desormeaux's hands remaining patiently motionless, Summer Bird seemed to widen his stride alone and had worn down the two leaders by the time Desormeaux allowed him to run at the top of the stretch.

Summer Bird became the 30th horse to win both the Belmont and the Travers, joining Birdstone who won both races in 2004. Many of those previous 29 became Champion 3-Year-Old Male including Point Given ('01), Temperence Hill ('80), Arts and Letters ('69) and Damascus in 1967. Now Summer Bird will try to join that group.

Much of that depends on his next two starts which appears to be the Jockey Club Gold Cup against older horses on October 3 at Belmont Park before the Breeders' Cup Classic in November in California.

Michael Straight Update

From Dave Zenner
Arlington Park
Jockey Matthew Straight, twin brother of apprentice jockey Michael Straight who was injured in a Wednesday incident at Arlington Park , has issued the following statement regarding the condition of his brother.

“Mike is now responsive to commands. We know it’s going to be a slow step-by-step process but we are staying optimistic and staying strong. He is scheduled to undergo a few procedures today.

“We are working on setting up a fund for those wishing to contribute and as soon as we have those details – we will pass that information along.

“Please continue to keep Mike in your thoughts and prayers.”

Note: Matthew will continue to issue updates as appropriate.

Apprentice Jockey Michael Straight Update

Apprentice jockey Michael Straight, seriously injured in an Aug. 26 spill at Chicago’s Arlington Park, undergwent surgery for four fractured vertebrae at Luther General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill. The Daily Racing Form reported Friday that Straight may be paralyzed as a result of the accident.

Following is an update from Dave Zenner, Senior Manager of Communications at Arlington Park:

FRIDAY MORNING (AUG. 28) STATEMENT FROM MATTHEW STRAIGHT
Jockey Matthew Straight, twin brother of apprentice jockey Michael Straight who was injured in a Wednesday incident at Arlington Park, has issued the following statement regarding the condition of his brother.

"Mike's surgery last night was successful and everything went as planned. The doctors said it could not have gone any better. We know there is still a long way to go and now it's just a waiting game to see how good and how quick he heels up.

"He's off the majority of sedation and we're waiting for him to come out of it on his own. We know it's going to be a long road back and we're not going anywhere.

"Everybody has been so supportive with phone calls, e-mails and even Facebook messages. It hasn't gone unnoticed. Our family appreciates the support and the love. It's times like this that bring everyone together. Please keep Mike in your prayers.

"We appreciate everyone's support but also ask that you respect our family's privacy and when we feel it is the appropriate time to talk more publicly, we will do so."

There is also a link the Michael Straight Get Well Card on the right. You may send your thoughts, prayers and well wishes to the Straight family.

Travers Illustrates Difference Between Glamour And Quality

You may think that without Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird, the $1 Million Shadwell Travers Stakes has lost it's luster. Not so fast. It may have lost some glamour, but the Mid-Summer Derby at Saratoga Saturday has plenty to offer in terms of quality and storylines.

First, there is the 8-5 morningline favorite Quality Road. There was a time not so long ago - just before the Kentucky Derby - when the racing world was going ga-ga over Quality Road while Mine That Bird had little more noteritety than any of the thousands of other horses being pulled along in a trailer on America's highways in late April. A well documented foot problem kept Quality Road out of the Derby, but months later a track record performance in the Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga and a daunting presence during his morning works since, now have him as a popular topic around talk of the Spa.

Then there is Kensei - the "Rodney Dangerfield" of trainer Steve Asmussen's barn, (which also houses Rachel Alexandra), and given little respect in the three-year-old ranks because of his absence in the Triple Crown. He comes into the Travers with victories in the grade 2 Dwyer at Belmont Park and the $500,000 Jim Dandy (gr. 2) over Travers foes Warrior's Reward in second, and favorite Charitable Man in third.

Charitable Man earned that favoritism off of his victory in the grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park. He too has lit up the track in the morning at Saratoga after his bullet four-furlong work Aug. 21 in 47.45. He is also a son of Lemon Drop Kid, who won the Belmont Stakes and Travers in 1999 which may make him genetically dangerous Saturday.

And don't forget about Summer Bird for cryin' out loud. He is only the winner of the Belmont Stakes. Although a distant second to Rachel Alexandra in the grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monomouth Park in his last race, trainer Tim Ice has said the colt's energy level and training have improved leading up to the Travers. His 100.91 work over a muddy track Aug. 22 may have been a bit slow, but the wet conditions may have dictated caution by jockey Kent Desormeaux that morning. although Summer Bird had other ideas according to Ice who said after the work that it appeared Summer Bird wanted to go faster and further that morning.

Travers History As Colorful As The Canoe

Sixty years after Kentucky and jockey Gilbert W. Patrick won the first running of the Travers Stakes at Saratoga, the track decided to start a tradition to recognize the owner of the Spa's mid-summer Derby. That year Frank Coltiletti rode Mars to victory and the colors of Walter M. Jeffords were painted on the new canoe that floated in the serene lake in the track's infield.

That was 1926. Eighty-three years later there is still a canoe in the infield lake, now painted in the white and green colors of WinStar Farms, the owners of 2008 Travers winner Colonel John. But the history of the race is perhaps even more colorful and storied.

The Travers Stakes, first run in 1864, is the oldest stakes still run annually in the United States. Although the Kentucky Derby gets the oldest "continously run" distinction because of six missed runnings of the Travers. The latest coming in 1911-12 during World War I. It is named in honor of the first president of Saratoga Race Course, William R. Travers, who was also the owner of Kentucky, the first winner of the race.

The Travers list of winners includes legends like Man o' War in 1920, Triple Crown winner Whirlaway in 1941, Native Dancer ('53), Buckpasser and Damascus in 1966-'67 respectively and Alydar in 1978.

Two of the top young sires today, Medaglia d'Oro and Birdstone, are both Travers winners as is Bernardini.

Pat Day, Eddie Arcaro and Jim McLaughlin lead all jockeys with four Travers victories each but Hall of Famers such as Eric Guerin, Bill Shoemaker, Chris McCarron and Jerry Bailey have their share of wins as well.

In 1962, the Travers produced a race for the ages as Jaipur edged out Ridan at the wire after the duo raced in tandem throughout most of the mile and one-quarer distance. Recognized as one of Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments by Blood-Horse magazine, the 1962 Travers determined the champion 3-year-old colt that year.

Rachel Out of Travers

Rachel Alexandra will not be entered into Saturday's $1 million Travers Stakes against her sophmore male counterparts, but will instead take on the older horses in the Sept. 5 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga according to a post this morning on drf.com.

The announcement was made Monday morning after Rachel Alexandra worked six furlongs in 1.11.84 on a sloppy main track at Saratoga. Earlier on the worktab, her stablemate Kensie worked five furlongs in 50 seconds while preparing for the Travers. Somewhat ironically, it may be Dwyer and Jim Dandy Stakes winner Kensei, also owned by Rachel Alexandra's owner Jess Jackson, who is keeping Rachel out of the Travers.

Not that Asmussen, Jackson or the man in the moon for that matter, think Kensei may upset Rachel Alexandra in the Travers. But Asmussen indicated that he feels Kensei deserves a chance to win the Travers without Rachel. "Off of discussions with Jess and how well Kensei is doing we felt that he deserved a chance in the Travers," Asmussen said.

How sporting.

Instead Rachel Alexandra will try to now conquer the likes of Asiatic Boy, Bullsbay, Cool Coal Man, Da' Tara, and It's a Bird in the grade 1 Woodward. New York Racing Association also announced that the purse of the Woodward would be raised from $500,000 to $750,000 if Rachel should start.

An eight-horse field is now expected for the Travers including Charitable Man (Ramon Dominguez); Hold Me Back (Julien Leparoux), Kensei (Edgar Prado), Mine That Bird (Mike Smith), Our Edge (Alan Garcia) Quality Road (John Velazquez), Summer Bird (Kent Desormeaux), and Warrior's Reward (Calvin Borel).

Bad Girl Give Impressive Performance in Alabama

If you're the kind of sports fan that lists a John McEnroe or a Terrell Owens among your favorites (you like the bad boys in other words) then the winner of the $600,000 Alabama Stakes Saturday at Saratoga may be just the horse for you. Except Careless Jewel is a three-year-old filly which makes her a bad girl. And she has more class than Tonya Harding and less controversary than a Chinese gymnast.

And if there were style points in horse racing, the like deductions Careless Jewel would have received would have eaten away at her actual 11-length victory in the grade 1 Alabama.

First, she acted up in the post parade, dancing around the pony as if she had snakes in her saddle blanket. Then, moments before the race, she appeared to be an early scratch candidate when jockey Robert Landry dismounted a Careless Jewel, who appeared to have no interest in walking to the starting gate, much less running.

As the field was dispatched at the start of the race, Careless Jewel broke from post number five and appeared to be more interested in taking a bite out of Be Fair to her outside, than getting the lead.

Be Fair sprinted to the lead around the first turn and then caused Careless Jewel to stumbled severely when the later clipped the heels of the front-runner with a mile left to run. But Landry composed Careless Jewel rather quickly, then almost casualy raced to the lead around the far turn on their way to a dominating win.

Careless Jewel, a daughter of the hot young sire Tapit, is certainly no immediate threat to Rachel Alexandra in the 3-year-old filly ranks, but she sure is fun to watch. If you like bad girls that is.


No Word On Rachel Alexandra For Travers
While trainer Steve Asmussen nor owner Jess Jackson have indicated whether Rachel Alexandra will run in the $1 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga Saturday, her sire and jockey are still scheduled to be represented and present respectively.

Sunday morning, jockey Calvin Borel worked Jim Dandy Stakes (gr. 2) runner-up Warrior's Reward, a son of Medaglia d'Oro, five furlongs in 1:00.98 over a sloppy Saratoga track.

Following the work, Borel said the colt has become more responsive in the mornings since the Jim Dandy and appears to be an improving horse. Trainer Ian Wilkes has said for months the Travers was his main target for Warrior's Reward and that he is responding right on schedule.

Florida Derby and Amsterdam Stakes winner Quality Road however, had his schedule slightly altered by trainer Todd Pletcher Sunday morning. When the Saratoga track turned muddy, Pletcher dedided to postpone the work until Monday morning. Quality Road was the likely favorite for the Kentucky Derby before a foot injury sidelined him just days before the race. He then returned from a four month lay-off to win the Amerstam in track record time.