(Edited Churchill Downs release)
A wet track July 6 prompted trainer Chip Woolley to delay by a day a scheduled work at Churchill Downs for Mine That Bird, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
The Birdstone gelding instead galloped once around the one-mile Churchill Downs track that was officially listed as muddy. Regular exercise rider Rudy Gallegos was aboard for Monday’s training activity.
Woolley said Mine That Bird would breeze just after the mid-session break for track maintenance July 7, with jockey Jamie Theriot would be aboard for the move that will take place shortly after 8:30 a.m.
“The track was a little wet on top today and had no reason to rush him, so we just decided to wait until tomorrow to work him,” said Woolley. “We can work him back in six days next Monday and be back on our regular schedule.”
Mine That Bird, who finished second in the BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and third in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), is being pointed toward a return to competition in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (GII) at Mountaineer on Aug. 1.
--In other training moves over the muddy surface, King of the Roxy continued to work toward his comeback for trainer Todd Pletcher with a five-furlong move in 1:01.40, which was the best of seven works at the distance. Early Times Mint Julep (gr. IIIT) winnerAcoma breezed four furlongs for trainer David Carroll in :49.80 as she points toward a possible run in the Beverly D. (gr. IT) at Arlington Park. Stone Legacy, a distant runner-up to Rachel Alexandra in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), breezed four furlongs in :49.40 for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
