Mine That Bird entered in Sunday's Firecracker

By: SPORTS NETWORK

 

Louisville, KY (Sports Network) - Mine That Bird, 2009 Kentucky Derby winner, has been entered in Sunday's $175,000 Firecracker Handicap at Churchill Downs. The one-mile turf event would be the gelding's first start of 2010 and the first on grass in his career.

Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Mine That Bird has not started since the Breeders' Cup Classic last November when he was ninth to Zenyatta. For Sunday's race the four-year-old has drawn post two in the 14 horse field and will again be ridden by Calvin Borel.

Owned by Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine, Mine That Bird will be going after his first win since the Run for the Roses when he upset the field at 50-1. Two weeks later he finished a fast closing second to Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness and was third in the Belmont Stakes to Summer Bird.

Mine That Bird was third in last year's West Virginia Derby and then underwent throat surgery. He came back in October's Goodwood Handicap at Santa Anita when he finished sixth.

In 14 career starts the four-year-old has earned $2,196,581 with five wins. He was the 2008 Canadian two-year-old champion.

Here is the full field in post position order for the Firecracker: Driving Snow, Freddie Lenclud; Mine That Bird, Calvin Borel; Attempted Humor, Corey Lanerie; Tizdejavu, Jesus Castanon; Unbridle's Dream, Shaun Bridgmohan; Tybalt, Corey Nakatani; Public Speaker, Robby Albarado; Veiled Prophet, Leandro Goncalves; Inca King, Victor Lebron; Pop Tarrt, Sal Gonzalez, Jr.; Euroears, Jamie Theriot; Skipadate, Alex Solis; Wise River, Francisco Torres and Orthodox, Jon Court.

The Firecracker Handicap has a scheduled post-time of 5:26 p.m. (et).