Louisville, KY (Sportsbooks) - Eclipse Award winning jockey Mike Smith has regained the mount on Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. Smith has a two- race commitment to ride the gelding starting with the West Virginia Derby on Saturday, August 1. "Mike Smith has given us a two-race commitment for the West Virginia Derby and the Travers," trainer Chip Woolley said. "Hopefully we won't be in a switch in the Breeders' Cup." Smith, who rode Mine That Bird in the Preakness Stakes, replaces Calvin Borel who was relieved of his duties when he could not commit to ride the three- year-old on August 1. Smith won the Eclipse Award as champion jockey in 1993 and 1994. "I'm very happy to have the opportunity to get back on him," Smith said. "Hopefully I can make amends for what happened the last time and get him home this time." Borel lost the mount on Mine That Bird because he agreed to ride Warrior's Reward in the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on the same day as the West Virginia Derby. The Louisiana native rode Warrior's Reward to a third-place finish in the Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park on July 4. Following the Kentucky Derby victory, Borel switched to the filly Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness Stakes. Borel won the Preakness with the filly and then regained the mount on Mine That Bird for the Belmont Stakes. Borel and the gelding finished third in the final jewel of racing's Triple Crown. Smith picked up the mount on Mine That Bird for the Preakness and finished second, a length behind Rachel Alexandra. After the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park, Mine That Bird's schedule of races will be the Travers at Saratoga on Saturday, August 29 and the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Saturday, November 7 with the possibility of a race between the Travers and Breeders' Cup. |
