SENATE MEMORIAL 22

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010

INTRODUCED BY

George K. Munoz

A MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING MINE THAT BIRD AS "NEW MEXICO HORSE OF THE YEAR FOR 2009".

     WHEREAS, Mine That Bird was foaled on May 10, 2006; and

     WHEREAS, he is the son of 2004 Belmont stakes winner Birdstone, the grandson of 1996 Kentucky derby winner Grindstone and the great-grandson of 1990 Kentucky derby winner Unbridled; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Leonard Blach of Roswell and Mark Allen, owner of Double Eagle ranch in Roswell, purchased Mine That Bird in October 2008 and formed the partnership Buena Suerte Equine; and 

     WHEREAS, Buena Suerte Equine sent Mine That Bird to Santa Anita racetrack to train under Richard Mandella to run in California and in Canada, where he won several stakes races; and

     WHEREAS, Buena Suerte Equine then turned Mine That Bird over to trainer "Chip" Woolley, Jr., who took the horse to Sunland Park racetrack and casino for further training and racing; and

     WHEREAS, Mine That Bird ran second in Sunland Park racetrack and casino's Borderland derby and fourth in the Sunland derby, after which he was sent to Louisville, Kentucky, to run in the Kentucky derby; and

     WHEREAS, Mine That Bird won the Kentucky derby by six and three-quarters lengths, winning one hundred one dollars twenty cents ($101.20) on a two-dollar ($2.00) bet in one of the greatest longshot winning efforts in the one hundred twenty years of the Kentucky derby; and

     WHEREAS, Mine That Bird then ran second in the Preakness stakes and third in the Belmont stakes, bringing his total graded stakes winnings to two million one hundred thousand dollars ($2,100,000) and counting, as he continues to train for future races; and

     WHEREAS, the triple crown achievement of Mine That Bird brought the state of New Mexico, Sunland Park racetrack and casino and the New Mexico horse racing industry positive worldwide publicity;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that Mine That Bird be recognized as "New Mexico Horse of the Year for 2009" for his outstanding achievement; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that congratulations and thanks be extended to Buena Suerte Equine, Dr. Leonard Blach, Mark Allen and "Chip" Woolley, Jr., for their outstanding achievement and for representing the state of New Mexico and providing tremendous positive publicity for New Mexico horse racing; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, Buena Suerte Equine, the New Mexico racing commission and Sunland Park racetrack and casino.

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