2009 Kentucky Derby winner, Mine That Bird, will be making his final prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday. He will be doing it over the same surface he will running over in four weeks at Santa Anita. There is a very competitive field of ten with many of them candidates for victory in the Goodwood. The one thing that seems to be lacking from this field is any speed of note. The only speed in the race appears to be #5 Tres Borrachos, but I think his little run of success over the summer came to an end in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, where he ran 11th.
So, who do we turn to as the winner? Well, I am leaning toward #7 Parading. He might be closer to the pace than some of the other main contenders in here and, therefore, might get first run at the lead on the turn and he does have the ability to hold off the closers. He also has a previous win at the distance of 1 1/8 miles, albeit over the turf in the Grade 2 Dixie at Pimlico on Preakness Day. I will put the Doug O'Neill trainee, #9 Informed, next. He also impressed at this specific distance with a win at Del Mar in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap. He had a troubled trip in the Pacific Classic and never really got into the action, so that race is a throw-out. He also might be laying closer to the leaders than one might think on Saturday. #3 Richard's Kid was the winner of that Grade 1 Pacific Classic on September 6 at Del Mar. I would find it highly doubtful you will get anywhere near the 25-1 he won at that day. His last workout on October 6 was a bullet half-mile, covering the distance in 46.4 seconds. Mike Smith was the rider for that Del Mar score, but he gets the call on an oldie but a goodie in here, #2 Tiago. His turf experiment last time out was a dismal failure, running last of six. He had hit the board in three straight graded race over the Santa Anita artificial surface prior to that last race. Overall, he has hit the board in nine of eleven lifetime races at Santa Anita. You cannot leave out the Derby winner in here either. #10 Mine That Bird will be included in whatever wager we construct in the Goodwood. That is because he has the same quality of Summer Bird that we discussed in handicapping the Jockey Club Gold Cup last week. He just seems to be in contention ALL THE TIME. So, he is an includer, especially with Calvin Borel at the controls. Here is the play for the 28th running of the Grade 1 Goodwood:
$1 EX BOX 2-3-7-9-10 and $1 TRI 7 with 2-3-9-10
TOTAL- $32
Keep in mind that They Are Off accepts no responsibility for any wagers placed in conjunction with these selections, they are merely suggestions. Tune in again on Monday for more from They Are Off. For right now, I am Gone... GOODBYE!
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Mine That Bird's last race really turned me off. The frontruner in that race was staggering at the 1/4 pole and Mine That Bird never passed him. It was not just a bad throw out type race. It was a genuine poor performance that illustrates this horses current form.
Other than those two weeks in May this horse just does not have that class to compete at this level. With Mine That Birds short price he is a great toss here that makes this an attractive batting race.
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