Mine That Bird, Chip Woolley part ways...

[Barnfairy]

In the DRF:

Mine That Bird goes to Lukas

(excerpted from linked article)

Mine That Bird, the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner, left New Mexico on Wednesday morning bound for Churchill Downs, where he will be trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Leonard Blach, a co-owner of the gelding, said Wednesday.

…“It’s pretty tough to have one like that taken away,” Woolley said in a telephone interview. "I guess if I’d have won the Triple Crown I’d have gotten to keep him. I’ll always wish the best for the horse. I guess I should be grateful for the opportunity to train him and win the Derby.

“Personally, I can’t understand it. But I guess it’s not for me to understand.”

Class act, Woolley is.

[DLee]

Wow. :no:

[Barnfairy]

I guess I can see the “what have you done for me lately” angle, but, I sure didn’t see this coming.

[LKF]

I hope Lukas puts Calvin back in the tack. Looks like there could be a reunion at Churchill.
I feel for Woolley. Kind of a lump in my stomach for the guy.

[Barnfairy]

Blood Horse has the story now too:

Derby Winner Mine That Bird Sent to Lukas

“It will be challenging in a lot of ways,” Lukas said by phone from his barn at Churchill Downs, where Mine That Bird is expected to arrive Thursday, May 20. “We are looking forward to having him in our barn. He is a Derby winner. From what I have heard so far, we should be able to go forward with him once he gets here. They have been galloping and putting a lot of miles on him.”

Lukas said he has had a long-term friendship with [part owner Dr. Leonard] Blach, dating back to his career as a Quarter Horse trainer before making the transition to Thoroughbreds.

[InWhyCee_Redux]

Poor D. Wayne. No doubt is he scratching his head and asking, “What’s a four-year-old?”

[danceronice]

[QUOTE=Barnfairy;4875880]
I guess I can see the “what have you done for me lately” angle, but, I sure didn’t see this coming.[/QUOTE]

It was a looooong lately, though. He won the Derby, but it was all downhill from there. Something obviously wasn’t working.

[farmgirl88]

i have also heard that D Wayne can be a bit of a hack with a lot of his horses hitting morning workouts very, very sore. i feel for the horse and i really feel for Chip.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

They should have sent him to Jonathon Sheppard and put him over the sticks:lol:

I think this was coming, not that I agree with it per se. He wouldn’t be the first horse to have hit a purple patch in May of their 3yo only to never amount to much afterwards, so hard to know if you can hold it against Wooley the fact he hasn’t done much since. On the other hand, Wooley’s overall stats don’t inspire great confidence and some of the methods (like dragging him all over the continent behind a pickup) make you wonder sometimes.

[Dahoss]

[QUOTE=InWhyCee Redux;4875962]
Poor D. Wayne. No doubt is he scratching his head and asking, “What’s a four-year-old?”[/QUOTE]

LOL - that was the exact same thing I was thinking. Sadly, horses don’t last very long under his shed.

@farmgirl88;4876062

i have also heard that D Wayne can be a bit of a hack with a lot of his horses hitting morning workouts very, very sore. i feel for the horse and i really feel for Chip.

Yeah I agree. While others might think differently, ive never thought much about the man. It’s always been my thinking that he destroys a lot of horses.

I think the owner could have found better.

[Blinkers_On]

[QUOTE=InWhyCee Redux;4875962]
Poor D. Wayne. No doubt is he scratching his head and asking, “What’s a four-year-old?”[/QUOTE]

LMAO!!! You took the words out of my mouth!!!

Yes Lukas trains em sore. It is my belief/experience that he doesn’t scope before he buys either. And if he does, shame on him.

I actually feel more sorry for the horse than I do Wooley. He wasn’t doing the horse any favors post TC campaign, but who deserves Lukas at the steering wheel??!!

[farmgirl88]

[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;4876171]
They should have sent him to Jonathon Sheppard and put him over the sticks:lol:

I think this was coming, not that I agree with it per se. He wouldn’t be the first horse to have hit a purple patch in May of their 3yo only to never amount to much afterwards, so hard to know if you can hold it against Wooley the fact he hasn’t done much since. On the other hand, Wooley’s overall stats don’t inspire great confidence and some of the methods (like dragging him all over the continent behind a pickup) make you wonder sometimes.[/QUOTE]

pardon me if i am wrong but MTB was 2yo of the year in Canada and had 3 very impressive placings in all three of the triple crown races. Its not like he won the derby and then never showed up after that. The horse stuck right with them in the preakness and in the belmont. no he didnt win, but i thought the horse ave a really game showing in all three triple crown races, something we dont often see.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

[QUOTE=farmgirl88;4876285]
pardon me if i am wrong but MTB was 2yo of the year in Canada and had 3 very impressive placings in all three of the triple crown races. Its not like he won the derby and then never showed up after that. The horse stuck right with them in the preakness and in the belmont. no he didnt win, but i thought the horse ave a really game showing in all three triple crown races, something we dont often see.[/QUOTE]

That’s kinda what I said. By May I meant the five weeks of the TC series. He ran very credible races in the Preakness and while I think Summer Bird was much the best at Belmont, I think he would have raced him to the line had Borel not committed him too early that day.
The point I’m making is that he wouldn’t be the first horse to run well in the Derby-Preakness-Belmont and not show up afterwards, or in other words his post TC form may not be something to hang entirely on Wooley.

[War_Admiral]

I am just heartsick about this. :no: Of all the shitty things to do to that honest little horse. I feel sorry for Mr. Woolley but way, way, WAY more sorry for poor little Bird.

[Dahoss]

[QUOTE=War Admiral;4876357]
I am just heartsick about this. :no: Of all the shitty things to do to that honest little horse. I feel sorry for Mr. Woolley but way, way, WAY more sorry for poor little Bird. [/QUOTE]

At least it sounds like most of us are in agreement. Being trained by Lukas isn’t all what it’s cracked up to be, Hall of Famer or not. Sending a horse there is like punishment. It’s like being put on the chain gang back in the day.

[horsehair]

So sad for the little guy. I figured something must be amiss when I saw via the stallcam that the stall was empty all day, doors wide open. Well, no matter what Lukas does with him, he’ll never have the Derby with MYB on his resume.

[judybigredpony]

Look at it this way he will be closer to the Kentuckey horse where he will be retired after DeeWayne Dee Butcher gets done with him.

[ASB_Stars]

This is pretty sickening. Throughout the entire three year old campaign, it was obvious that Wooley’s first concern was always for his horse. That seems to be becoming a rarer and rarer thing.

I do not know anything about D. Wayne, other than what little I’ve seen on the TV over the years, but if what you guys are saying is right, and I’ve not doubt you know, than this is even more disgusting.

Poor little horse! They are truly strip mining that bird.

[MintHillFarm]

[QUOTE=War Admiral;4876357]
I am just heartsick about this. :no: Of all the shitty things to do to that honest little horse. I feel sorry for Mr. Woolley but way, way, WAY more sorry for poor little Bird. [/QUOTE]

I agree. I was thinking the same thing. It is my feeling as well that Lukas can be tough…I hope he will stop on the horse if he doesn’t train well. One can hope.

[witherbee]

I find it sad too. Not so much that he is leaving Wooley, although he seemed to be a good caretaker in general, but that he is going to Lucas… Hope the little guy does okay.