It didn't even occur to me that MINE THAT BIRD would have a chance!
. The three that I had chosen were Feresian Fire, Chocolate Candy and Dunkirk. Did anyone pick MTB?
I didn't bet of course, but if I had I just might have simply because of his Canadian connection and whenever I go to the races I bet the longshots. He is a decendant of Northern Dancer. He was sold for $9,500 because he was considered "tiny". He earned that owner over $300,000 and he in turn sold him to a Mexican group for $400,000. The Mexican group has certainly recouped its money with a payday of $1.4 million.Originally Posted by Plebayo
I didn't even pay attention to the race this year
But I think it's hillarious that they only paid $400k for him... and I think the auction price originally was $9,500. On top of it all he's also a gelding.
It's the third time a horse with Canadian connections won the Derby, but he's not Canadian. He raced in Canada last year and was voted Canadian 2yo Champ in the Sovereign Awards, but he's a Kentucky-bred, and thus is American (anyone can win a Sovereign, Canadian or not, as long as they've made at least 3 starts in Canada). He's not eligible to run in the Queen's Plate, Canada's version of the Kentucky Derby, which is too bad. Northern Dancer ran the Triple Crown, winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness before finishing third in the Belmont, and only a few weeks later, he ran in the Queen's Plate and smashed 'em all (but he aggravated an injury and was retired). I still think that's amazing, that any owner would run their horse in 3 big races in 5 weeks, then come back to Canada to run in their own special "kentucky derby", probably the race that means the most to them. You won't see that these days.Originally Posted by Yosemite
I believe this is only the 2nd (or third) time in Kentucky Derby history that a Canadian horse upset the field and won.
Lots of good information there for those of us who don't follow the horses quite as closely as you apparently do. I did know he was Kentucky bred but I was under the understanding that he was sold to a man in Canada for $9,500 because he was considered "small", who in turn raced him at Woodbine for awhile, and who then in turn sold him to the Mexican group for $400,000. He would also have had to have Canadian connections to be a decendent of Northern Dancer.Originally Posted by Aussie_Dog
It's the third time a horse with Canadian connections won the Derby, but he's not Canadian. He raced in Canada last year and was voted Canadian 2yo Champ in the Sovereign Awards, but he's a Kentucky-bred, and thus is American (anyone can win a Sovereign, Canadian or not, as long as they've made at least 3 starts in Canada). He's not eligible to run in the Queen's Plate, Canada's version of the Kentucky Derby, which is too bad. Northern Dancer ran the Triple Crown, winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness before finishing third in the Belmont, and only a few weeks later, he ran in the Queen's Plate and smashed 'em all (but he aggravated an injury and was retired). I still think that's amazing, that any owner would run their horse in 3 big races in 5 weeks, then come back to Canada to run in their own special "kentucky derby", probably the race that means the most to them. You won't see that these days.
Northern Dancer and Sunny's Halo were the Canadian-breds who won the Derby.
As an update, the connections of Mine That Bird weren't committing to the Preakness in a couple of weeks, since their goal has primarily been the Belmont (which would suit MTB, distance-wise, and by skipping the Preakness, he would enter the race that much fresher). But today they've confirmed that they're going to head to the Preakness. Might as well try for the Triple Crown, eh? Look for him on the TV on May 16!
Not necessarily. This is Northern Dancer, the hit smash at stud. His name shows up in literally at LEAST 80% of thoroughbreds today, all over the world. He became probably THE most influential Thoroughbred sire in history (well, one of, anyway; can't dismiss the three Arabians that got the breed started). I'm a little rusty in his history, but I believe he started off his stud career here in Canada when he retired, then moved to America, and upon his death was moved back to Canada. He was an amazing sire, along with a great racing career, and is definitely one Canada is proud of.Originally Posted by Yosemite
He would also have had to have Canadian connections to be a decendent of Northern Dancer.
No worries. I find it interesting and have no problem with learning something new. I don't go to the races very often but do enjoy them. I had neighbours that had race horses so I used to go with them occasionally and have actually had my picture taken in the winner's circle. That was a lot of fun. In the area where we live now, there is a farm down the road close to us that has beautiful race horses. His horses race at the usual race tracks in Southern Ontario.Originally Posted by Aussie_Dog
Not necessarily. This is Northern Dancer, the hit smash at stud. His name shows up in literally at LEAST 80% of thoroughbreds today, all over the world. He became probably THE most influential Thoroughbred sire in history (well, one of, anyway; can't dismiss the three Arabians that got the breed started). I'm a little rusty in his history, but I believe he started off his stud career here in Canada when he retired, then moved to America, and upon his death was moved back to Canada. He was an amazing sire, along with a great racing career, and is definitely one Canada is proud of.
I read the other day that he (Mine That Bird) was sold to America because his owners and trainer wanted him to have a chance at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but they couldn't afford it (something like that), so they decided to sell him to someone who could. It was a bit of a moot point as he failed miserably, finishing dead last (on a related note, the Canadian horse, Wando, finished at the back of the pack in HIS BC Juvie in 2002, then went on to win the Canadian Triple Crown a year later. One of my favorite horses)
If I come across as hoity toity on the racing subject, you have to excuse me. I don't often get to flaunt my "knowledge" of the sport, as I know nobody who cares, and everyone else in racing knows more than me (best case scenario, they know as much as me, lol). So I tend to use big words and strut like a peacock, lol