Mine that Bird, Calvin Borel Shockingly Top Kentucky Derby Results

Mine That Bird and Calvin Borel were afterthoughts in Kentucky Derby results predictions, as most 50-1 longshots are. Though Calvin Borel topped the Kentucky Derby results two years ago as a jockey for Street Sense, Mine That Bird wasn't supposed to put him back in the winners circle. With all the buzz on Dunkirk, Friesan Fire, Pioneerof the Nile and a select few others in the Kentucky Derby, Mine That Bird was supposed to be one of those horses that led for a while at first, then fell way back. Instead, Calvin Borel and Mine That Bird topped the Kentucky Derby results while setting several kinds of history.

To start the Kentucky Derby, Mine That Bird was fairly far back in last, as was no surprise. But just a minute later, Calvin Borel turned things up and Mine That Bird never looked back. The 50-1 longshot got the largest margin of victory in the Kentucky Derby in decades, and was also the longest shot winner in about 90 years.

By 6 and 3/4'th lengths, Mine That Bird turned the results of the 135'th Kentucky Derby into a laugher before long. Pioneerof the Nile fought for second, while other favorites like Dunkirk and Friesan Fire were out of contention from the start.

After the race, Borel provided as much entertainment by himself as he did during the Kentucky Derby, as he took Mine That Bird on a victory lap and couldn't contain his excitement in his NBC post-race interview.

Calvin Borel won with a longshot on Kentucky Derby day, and won by even more decisive fashion on Friday's Kentucky Oaks. He raced Rachel Alexandra to a 20 length win at the Oaks, though everyone expected that. No one thought Borel could repeat it with Mine That Bird.

The results stunned the owners who paid hundreds of thousands, if not millions for their horses, while Mine That Bird was bought for just about $9,500.

But this years Kentucky Derby results would be considered an upset if anyone other than the three or four favorites had won, since practically over half the field was a 20-1 or longer longshot. It just so happened that Mine That Bird was the one out of the several 50-1 shots that pulled through.

With such an unlikely horse topping the Kentucky Derby, that may make it an even greater longshot for Mine That Bird to end the 30-year-long Triple Crown drought in horse racing. But Borel will likely give it a shot anyway at the Preakness Stakes in two weeks.

Sources

Atlanta Journal-Constitution- "50-1 shot shocks favorites at Derby" www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/05/03/derby0503.html

New York Times- "Happier Ending to Derby, and Hopes of Better Days to Come" www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/sports/othersports/03araton.html