Mine That Bird stuns the crowds at 2009 Kentucky Derby

The crowds at Churchill Downs racecourse witness the second biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history on Saturday, as 50-1 long-shot Mine That Bird stormed to victory in the opening race of the American Triple Crown.

The victory was particularly stunning given Mine That Bird’s margin of victory, as the Chip Woolley trained colt came out of nowhere to beat the field by 6½ lengths. Mine the Bird’s performance handed Calvin Borel his second Derby victory in three years.

The performance of the race favourites was equally astonishing as antepost favourite Friesan Fire finished second last while Dunkirk only managed to come home in 11th place. Pioneer of the Nile was the only market favourite to put in a decent performance, finishing in second place.

Mine That Bird won the race in a lightning-fast late surge up the inside rail, passing 12 runners on his way to the lead. This tactic virtually mirrored Borel’s tactics when he won the Kentucky Derby on Street Sense in 2007.

“I learnt by Street Sense, being so patient with these three-year-olds,” Borel was quoted as saying by the BBC. “They can only go so fast and so far. So I sat back and had a good trip and when I hollered at him he just went on.”