Report: New trainer for Summer Bird

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Hot Springs, AR (Sports Network) - The Daily Racing Form is reporting that 2009 champion three-year-old Summer Bird will no longer be trained by Tim Ice and will be moved to the stable of trainer Tim Ritchey. Summer Bird is one of 25 horses owned by K.K. and Vilasini Jayaraman that Ice will no longer train.

Several different trainers will be receiving the horses from Ice's barn. Ice says that his stable will be reduced from 31 to six thoroughbreds.

Summer Bird, winner of last year's Belmont Stakes, has been recuperating from surgery at Oaklawn Park. Ritchey is currently stabled at Oaklawn Park as is Ice.

Along with the Belmont in 2009 Summer Bird captured the Travers Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup. The colt finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby and fourth behind Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Last year he won four of nine starts for $2,323,040.

Tim Ritchey is best known as the trainer of Afleet Alex who won the 2005 Arkansas Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Ritchey is perennially among the leading trainers at Delaware Park.