Birdrun to do a double on the Brooklyn Handicap at Belmont Park
Preston Stables owned 6-year-old horse, Birdrun, is yet to register a victory since winning the 1 ½ miles Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap at Belmont Park last year in June, and we are in June 2012, and the Brooklyn Handicap has swung by again, which means Birdrun
will be itching to snap that losing streak with a double in the Brooklyn Handicap.
The 1 ½ mile event will be run on the Belmont Park’s dirt track on 8 June, 2012, and the race has reeled in 12 older horses to go over a marathon distance.
Bill Mott trained, Birdrun, won the last year’s Grade 2, $200,000 Brooklyn Handicap over the eventual Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, Drosselmeyer, as Alma D’oro finished third. Birdrun cover the 12 furlong distance in 2 minutes and 28.24 seconds.
Bred in Florida, the son of Birdstone on his return to the Brooklyn Handicap will be the 4 to 1 second choice, while Richard Dutrow trained, Redeemed, will be send as the 5 to 2 favourite on the back of a victory in the Milesius Stakes.
Breaking right beside Redeemed will be Doug O’Neill trained, Boxeur des Rues, who is also owned by J. Paul Reddam.
Mario Gutierrez, who guided I’ll Have Another to victories in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes will ride Boxeur des Rues in the Brooklyn Handicap, and both Belmont Stakes and the Brooklyn are run at 1 ½ miles - which will be a good learning curve
for Mario prior to the massive Triple Crown deciding race.
“This is a really good opportunity for Mario and I think the horse has a chance to compete and do well,” O’Neill. “We brought this horse with that intent. Three or four days ago, he didn’t train as well as I’d like and we went on a mad dash to have Paul
(Reddam) invest in a horse for (the Brooklyn). That didn’t work out too well.”
Godolphin Racing’s 4-year-old colt, Arthur’s Tale will be going at 1 ½ miles for the first time in his career, as he comes into the Brooklyn Handicap off a third place finish in the Vanlandingham Stakes at Belmont Park.
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