Borel was on top of things

Jockey's choice is the right one

By Mark Blaudschun, Globe Staff  |  May 17, 2009

BALTIMORE - How do you leave a horse that just won the Kentucky Derby?

Easy, said Calvin Borel, who did just that when he switched mounts for yesterday's 134th running of the Preakness Stakes.

Easy, if you go from a horse, Mine That Bird, that was a 50-1 shot entering the Derby, to Rachel Alexandra, the filly who mixed it up with the boys for the first time and did it as the favorite at 9-5.

Borel did not mince words about his choice before the race.

"[Mine That Bird] would have to run the race of his life to beat my filly," said Borel, who proclaimed that Rachel Alexandra was the best horse he had ever ridden. "I think all the others are going to have to run the races of their lives or me fall off or something stupid to happen."

And, as Borel and the filly's new owner, Jess Jackson, had hoped, nothing "stupid" did happen as Borel guided Rachel Alexandra to a length victory over a hard-charging Mine That Bird, who took second, and the rest of the 13-horse field.

With victories on Rachel Alexandra in the Kentucky Oaks and Preakness and on Mine That Bird in the Kentucky Derby, Borel is having a dream season. He is the first jockey in Triple Crown history to ride two horses in winning the Derby and Preakness.

"I felt I had it all the way," said Borel, who could go for a personal Triple Crown if Jackson and trainer Steven Asmussen decide to enter Rachel Alexandra in the Belmont in three weeks.

Before the race, Borel praised Mine That Bird, who went off at 6-1.

"I don't think he can run with my filly," he said, "but he'll run a good race."

He did, but it wasn't quite good enough.

After the Derby, Mine That Bird trainer Chip Woolley had to find another jockey quickly and got Hall of Famer Mike Smith.

"It's pretty cool," said Smith. "Everyone is asking if there's extra, added pressure.

Before the race, Smith said he planned to follow the same strategy Borel did in the Derby.

"He's so laid-back," said Smith. "He's really rider-friendly. He doesn't have any quirks. He seems to love the rail. He seems to love the middle of the track. Honestly, I'm just excited to get this opportunity."

As in the Derby, Mine That Bird came from way back. But this time he didn't have quite enough.

Big Drama, who was drawing a lot of attention as a sleeper pick, entered the race with one start as a 3-year-old. He kicked himself in his stall in January and suffered a bruise on his shin that required surgery. He was skittish at the gate, tossing jockey Johnny Velasquez, who quickly remounted the horse, which finished fifth . . . The crowd in the infield was down significantly, largely because of a new rule that prohibits people from bringing in coolers. Preakness officials tried to counteract that by lowering the price of beer, but the threat of thunderstorms also may have been a contributing factor in the lower attendance.

Mark Blaudschun can be reached at blaudschun@globe.com.