Derby Winner Mine That Bird Retired

Mine That Bird, who stunned the racing world when he won the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) at 50-1 odds, has been retired.

"They told me they were going to pick him up and take him home," trainer D. Wayne Lukas said of owners Dr. Leonard Blach and Mark Allen. "He is just not mentally into it."

Lukas said Mine That Bird will be sent to Blach’s Buena Surte Ranch in Roswell, N.M.

Lukas said the decision was made Nov. 7, one day after Mine That Bird finished 10th in the 12-horse field in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I).

"We talked it over quite thoroughly before the race," Lukas said. "His weight was excellent and he was still physically sound. He was just going through the motions. I am really disappointed about the Mile. Before the race, I really thought we were going to win it but he didn’t get the trip and the winner (Dakota Phone) ran a great race."

2009 KY Derby Slideshow
Mine That Bird's Derby victory.

The 2009 Derby, in which jockey Calvin Borel rode Mine That Bird to a rail-skimming 6 ¾-length triumph, was the last victory for the son of Birdstone . Trained by Chip Woolley, Mine That Bird went on to finish second in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and third in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) and the West Virginia Derby (gr. II). He closed out the season unplaced in the Goodwood (gr. I) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I).

After a lengthy break from competition and turned over the trainer D. Wayne Lukas at Churchill Downs, Mine That Bird was unplaced in four starts this year, all in graded company.

Mine That Bird ends his career with five wins and four placings in 18 career starts, with earnings of $2,228,637.