A Preakness To Remember: ‘Mine That Bird’ Finishes 2nd

By ABC-7 Reporter Marissa Monroy

SUNLAND PARK, NM– Mine That Bird’s miracle run for the Triple Crown came to an end Saturday afternoon, after the horse from New Mexico lost to philly favorite, Rachel Alexandra, in the 134th Preakness race.

“It would have been nice to see a local win,” said Ron Mock. “He came close. He only got beat a length. But he was coming fast. He just had a bad trip and it slowed him up just enough to get beat.”

A 7-1 long shot, Mine That Bird was not the underdog he was at Kentucky Derby. But it was the 2-1 favorite that managed to hold off a late charge by Mine That Bird to become the first filly in 85 years to win the Preakness Stakes. Mock was one of hundreds of horse racing fans taking in the action at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino.

“When you get out like this, it’s more of an event than just watching it on television,” Mock said. “It’s all the people and the cheering and all the hoopla arguing about who’s going to win before it happens, I love it.”

The race with not with out some pre-race controversy, after jockey Calvin Borel, switched horses from Mine That Bird to the eventual Preakness race winner, Rachel Alexandra.

“He traded jockeys. I kind of don’t like that,” said Ray Martinez. “Switching up in the middle of the triple crown, I don’t think that’s good for the horse.”

But for Borderland fans, the race and its second place finisher certainly did not disappoint.

“Rachel Alexander was the favorite. Mine That Bird was second. And musket man was third,” said Dustin Dix, Director of Racing Operations at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino. “A lot of people had the trifecta and it paid a couple of hundred dollars.”

Fans said they are now looking forward to the next race, where it’s expected to be boy versus girl, Derby winner versus Preakness winner.

“A girl did beat all the boys,” Dix said. “But hopefully they can turn the tables on her in the Belmont.”