Borel Wows Media at Luncheon, Guarantees Victory Again
On his first day in Manhattan, jockey Calvin Borel didn’t back off his bold guarantee that Mine That Bird would win Saturday's 141st running of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes.
“He'll win," Borel said before a packed house during a Belmont Stakes media luncheon at Madison Square Garden. "That's what we're here for.”
The Kentucky Derby winning gelding, expected to be a solid favorite over nine other three-year-olds in the Belmont, will be reunited with Borel in the 1 1/2 mile race, setting up the possibility of Borel becoming the first jockey to sweep the Triple Crown races aboard different horses. The 42-year-old Cajun took off Mine That Bird after the Derby to ride filly Rachel Alexandra to victory in the Preakness, then got back aboard the gelding when the filly's owners decided not to run her in the Belmont.
“I'll let him run his race like I did in the Derby,” said Borel. “He has an unbelievable turn of foot. He reminds me so much of Street Sense when you set him down. That's why I like the little horse.”
Borel said the mile-and-a-half of the Belmont Stakes, the longest of the Triple Crown races, would not faze Mine That Bird, and added he was more familiar with the sweeping oval of America's largest racetrack than most people realize.
“I've ridden there a lot of times,” he said, adding with a smile: “It's like any track -- you just turn left.”
Borel said it was the way Mine That Bird worked on Monday at Churchill Downs that gave him so much confidence.
“He worked the same was as he did before the Derby,” said Borel. “He did super good yesterday morning. He can go all day long.
“I see a Derby race, same style,” he added. “He sits back there. Belmont has a long stretch and I can sit and wait. I watch this horse every day, he goes two miles, two-and-a-half miles.”
Tuesday's media luncheon was part of a whirlwind of activities in which Borel is participating during Belmont Stakes week. Having already taped a segment that will air Friday evening on the “Late Show with David Letterman,” Borel will also make several appearances on national television, and visit Wall Street on Thursday morning to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
As for his own personal “triple,” Borel said he wasn't really thinking about it.
“It would be awesome, but it won't sink in until afterward,” said Borel. “I'm just going out there to win the race. I want to win it for (trainer) Chip (Woolley) because I owe that to him for giving me the opportunity to ride the horse back. This is a dream, and I'm just riding it right now.”
Earlier at the luncheon, jockey John Velazquez, the 2007 Belmont winner aboard Rags to Riches who will be aboard Dunkirk on Saturday, addressed fellow riders Rajiv Maragh, who will ride Brave Victory, and Alan Garcia, aboard Charitable Man, and offered some advice.
“Stay on the rail,” said Velazquez, referring to Borel's style of riding, typified by his rail-hugging run from last-to-first in the Derby.
Woolley, who arrived in town from Louisville just before the luncheon, was still on crutches from the broken leg he suffered in a motorcycle crash weeks before the Derby but did not let that dampen his enthusiasm for the way the gelding is training up to Saturday’s race. Indeed, the Kentucky Derby Museum has reportedly asked for Woolley’s crutches to display after he has finished with them.
“Mine That Bird had a super work,” said Woolley. “Calvin started him off soft. He finished strong down the lane. He galloped out super.”
Mine That Bird is expected to arrive at Belmont Park midafternoon on Wednesday after flying in from Kentucky along with Mr. Hot Stuff. Expected to pass the entry box as well on Wednesday are Chocolate Candy, Flying Private, Luv Gov, Miner’s Escape and Summer Bird.
Also attending the luncheon were Mine That Bird's owners, Mark Allen and Dr. Leonard Blach.
“We've been here a few days now, and we're looking forward to the race,” said Allen. “He's ready to go.”
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who will send out Charitable Man, said he respects the Derby winner but wasn't about to concede the Belmont, ticking off a litany of reasons his colt is a threat.
“He's 2-for-2 at Belmont, 3-for-3 on the dirt, his sire won the Belmont (Lemon Drop Kid in 1999), he's a fresh horse, he's training great,” he said. “Should I go on?”
McLaughlin, who saddled Jazil to victory in the 2006 Belmont, earlier got a laugh from some of the attendees before a shuttle bus departed Belmont for Manhattan. The trainer climbed aboard and told everybody they might as well go home, since Borel had already predicted the outcome of the race.
Velazquez said he was looking forward to riding Dunkirk for the first time for Todd Pletcher, the trainer for whom he usually rides.
“I worked him last week for the first time. He worked really well and galloped out great,” said Velazquez. “A mile-and-a-half seems to suit Mine That Bird better than anyone but we still have to go a mile-and-a-half and see what happens.”