Mine That Bird Retired

Mine That Bird has been retired after losing for the ninth straight time since he stunned the racing world by capturing the 2009 Kentucky Derby at 50-1, co-owner Leonard Blach said Monday from his Buena Suerta Equine clinic in New Mexico.

“We don’t want to hurt him or disgrace him anymore,” said Blach, who owns Mine That Bird with his neighbor, Mark Allen of Double Eagle Ranch. “He’ll live out his days here at Double Eagle. We’ve got a special paddock and shed for him.”

A 4-year-old gelding, Mine That Bird finished 10th of 12 starters Saturday in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs, marking the fourth straight race in which he finished fifth or worse since Blach and Allen turned him over to Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas in May.