Mine That Bird Ninth Gelding to Win Derby Roses

Birdstone Son Joins Funny Cide and Man o' War Son Clyde Van Dusen

May 8, 2009 BarbaraAnne Helberg

Just the ninth gelding in Kentucky Derby history to win the Run for the Roses, Mine That Bird joined a cast with speed pedigrees in Funny Cide and 1929's Clyde Van Dusen.

The 2009 Kentucky Derby victor Mine That Bird earned the right to gallop side by side with Man o' War son Clyde Van Dusen, 1929 Derby winner; eight-length 1914 victor Old Rosebud; and the pedigreed-to-run-lights-out 2003 Derby champion Funny Cide.

All four of the above Derby wins were scored by geldings, four of nine golden geldeds ever to win the classic.

Gelding Kentucky Derby Win Margins

• 1876 --- Vagrant --- won Kentucky Derby by 2 lengths
• 1882 --- Apollo --- by 1/2
• 1888 --- Macbeth II --- by 1
• 1914 --- Old Rosebud --- by 8 (tied by 1941 colt Whirlaway as longest Derby win margin)
• 1918 --- Exterminator --- by 1
• 1920 --- Paul Jones --- by a head
• 1929 --- Clyde Van Dusen --- by 2
• 2003 --- Funny Cide --- by 1-3/4
• 2009 --- Mine That Bird --- by 6-3/4

Clyde Van Dusen Major Victories

• At age two --- 1st in Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, the Orphanage Stakes, the Valley Stakes, the Idle Hour Stakes --- 2nd in American National Futurity --- 3rd in Breeders' Futurity
• At age three --- 1st in Kentucky Derby --- 2nd in Latonia Derby --- 3rd in Classic Stakes, Grainger Memorial Handicap

Clyde Van Dusen raced four seasons.

• 1928 --- 17 starts, 8 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds ----- Earnings, $55,768
• 1929 --- 10 - 3 - 3 - 2 ----- $65,319
• 1930 --- 5 - 1 - 0 - 1 ----- $1,025
• 1931 --- 10 - 0 - 1 - 3
• Total Race Record ----- 42 - 12 - 7 - 8 ----- $122,402

Clyde Van Dusen's Short Pedigree.

• chestnut gelding by Man o' War--Uncle's Lassie
• Man o' War by Fair Play--Mahubah ----- Uncle's Lassie by Uncle--Planutess
• Fair Play by Hastings (1893)--Fairy Gold (1896) ----- Mahubah by Rock Sand (1900)--Merry Token (1891)
• Uncle by Star Shoot (1898) --The Niece (1882) ----- Planutess by Planudes (1897)--Countess Wanda (1902)
• Hastings by Spendthrift--Cinderella ----- Countess Wanda by Loyalist--Wanda

Funny Cide Major Race Record

• At age two --- 1st in first Maiden attempt, Bertram F. Bongard, Sleepy Hollow
• At age three --- 1st in Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes --- 2nd in Louisiana Derby after disqualification of second place finisher, Wood Memorial --- 3rd in Belmont Stakes, Haskell Invitational

Funny Cide raced two superior seasons before struggling the next two years.

• 2002 --- 3 - 3 - 0 - 0 ----- $136,185
• 2003 --- 8 - 2 - 2 - 2 ----- $1,963,200

Funny Cide's Short Pedigree.

• chestnut gelding by Distorted Humor--Belle's Good Cide
• Distorted Humor by Forty Niner--Danzigs Beauty ----- Belle's Good Cide by Slewacide--Belle of Killarney
• Forty Niner by Mr. Prospector--File ----- Danzigs Beauty by Danzig--Sweetest Chant
• Slewacide by Seattle Slew--Evasive ----- Belle of Killarney by Little Current--Cherished Moment
• Mr. Prospector by Raise a Native--Gold Digger ----- Cherished Moment by Graustark--Pumpkin Patch

Mine That Bird Short Pedigree

• bay gelding by Birdstone--Mining My Own
• Birdstone by Grindstone--Dear Birdie ----- Mining My Own by Smart Strike (Ontario)--Aspenelle (ON)
• Grindstone by Unbridled--Buzz My Bell ----- Dear Birdie by Storm Bird (ON)--Hush Dear
• Smart Strike (ON) by Mr. Prospector--Classy 'N Smart (ON) ----- Aspenelle (ON) by Vice Regent (CAN)--Little To Do
• Unbridled by Fappiano--Gana Facil ----- Buzz My Bell by Drone--Chateaupavia
• Storm Bird (ON) by Northern Dancer (CAN)--South Ocean (CAN) ----- Hush Dear by Silent Screen--You All
• Mr. Prospector by Raise a Native--Gold Digger ----- Classy 'N Smart (ON) by Smarten--No Class (ON)
• Vice Regent by Northern Dancer (CAN)--Victoria Regina (CAN) ----- Little To Do by Dynastic--Tribal To Do

Currently, Mine That Bird has been pointed to the second jewel of the American Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes May 16 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The copyright of the article Mine That Bird Ninth Gelding to Win Derby Roses in Horse Racing is owned by BarbaraAnne Helberg. Permission to republish Mine That Bird Ninth Gelding to Win Derby Roses in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.