WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Kentucky Derby champion Mine That Bird remains without a jockey for the Belmont Stakes on June 6 but still looks impressive heading into the $1 million race, his trainer said on Friday.
Chip Woolley said the Preakness Stakes runner-up would travel on Wednesday to Belmont Park in New York from his base at Louisville’s Churchill Downs.
“He’s training super, doing just great,” Woolley told Reuters in a telephone interview. “He hasn’t lost any weight and looks great. Everything’s good.”
Woolley said he will not make a decision on a jockey until Monday at the earliest. He remains waiting to see if his first choice, Calvin Borel, will be available for the grueling mile-and-a-half race.
“The riders that are available now will be available the day we enter,” he said. “There’s really no hurry to make a decision. If I don’t get Borel, the same guys will still be available. I’m not too concerned about it.”
Borel rode Mine That Bird into the winner’s circle at the May 2 Derby but switched to Rachel Alexandra for the Preakness two weeks later and won again.
Woolley is now playing the waiting game to see if Rachel Alexandra will ride in the Belmont since Borel is under contract to ride the filly for her three-year-old season.