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April 24 worked five furlongs in :58.40, breezing over a good track at Churchill Downs
April 15 worked five furlongs in 1:01.00, breezing over a fast track at Churchill Downs
April 8 Birdstone was scratched from the Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland
April 4 worked five furlongs in 1:00.80, breezing over a fast track at Keeneland
March 29 worked six furlongs in 1:15.40, breezing over a fast track at Keeneland
March 15 worked six furlongs in 1:15.40, breezing over a fast track at Palm Meadows
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Graded Earnings: $327,000 (as of 5.01.2004)
Race Record: 6-3-0-0
Birdstone Barn Notes: Birdstone Gallops 1 1/2 Miles
Birdstone Barn Notes: Birdstone Breezes At Churchill Downs
Birdstone Barn Notes: Churchill Surface Suits Birdstone Well, Says Zito
Birdstone Update:Birdstone To Work Saturday
Birdstone Update:Birdstone Well On Morning After First Churchill Work
Birdstone Update:Kentucky Derby Contender Birdstone Breezes At Churchill
Birdstone Update:Zito's Birdstone To Miss Blue Grass
Birdstone Update: Birdstone Disappoints as Favorite in Lane's End
Birdstone Update: Birdstone Vs. Silver Minister In Lane's End
Birdstone News: Longshots Take Top Four Spots In Lane's End Stakes; Favorite Birdstone Fifth
Birdstone Update: Birdstone Vs. Silver Minister In Lane's End
Birdstone News: Birdstone Victorious in 2004 Debut
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Won the Champagne (GI) by 2 ½ lengths at Belmont October 4
Finished fourth, beaten 6 ½ lengths, in the August 30 Hopeful (GI) at Saratoga
Broke his maiden August 2 in the slop at Saratoga by 12 lengths |
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Finished eighth in Kentucky Derby 130 on May 1
March 20 finished fifth, beaten eight lengths, in the Lane's End Spiral at Turfway Park
Won his three year old debut by three lengths in a 1 1/16 mile allowance race at Gulfstream Park February 14 |
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BIRDSTONE is kind of the forgotten man in this year's Derby. A Grade 1 winner as a juvenile, he skipped what was supposed to be his final prep in the Blue Grass and that really deflated his bandwagon. Hard to explain his poor effort in the Lane's End in late March, as he was the heavy favorite on paper but could manage no better than fifth against one of the weakest prep fields. Before that he won an N2X allowance in easy fashion at Gulfstream Park and that may not be enough racing to have him ready for 10 furlongs against 19 rivals. Also important to consider he is diminutive in size and thus doesn't take well to bumping or traffic problems. Talented runner seems to have it all stacked against him for the Derby but he's a nice prospect who should blossom later on when allowed to work on his own time table. |
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Birdstone is by 1996 Louisiana Derby (GIII) and Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Grindstone, who was retired with an injury just days after his victory in the Run For The Roses. He is the sire of four crops of racing age with six stakes winners as of this writing. Grindstone is by 1990 Derby winner Unbridled, sire of over 35 stakes winners. Besides Grindstone, Unbridled has passed on his talent at stud to his son Unbridled’s Song, sire of four grade one winners in his first four crops. Birdstone dam is Dear Birdie, which makes him a half sister to the 2003 Kentucky Oaks winner Bird Town (she is by Cape Town). Bird Town set a new stakes record in the Oaks; she also won the Acorn Stakes (GI) during her three-year-old campaign. Dear Birdie has had nine foals to race, and incredibly, all nine have been winners, and by eight different sires – a true testament to her ability as a broodmare. On the racetrack, Dear Birdie had only two wins from 20 starts, with one minor stakes placing. However, she is out of Hush Dear, a multiple graded stakes winner who earned over $425,000 in the early 1980’s, when the purses were not near as large as today. Like his dam, Birdstone is representative of generations of Whitney breeding, tracing back to Counterpoint, who was 1951 Horse of the Year while taking the Belmont (GI) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) among seven two-turn stakes that year.
Dosage Index: 1.77
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