Summer Bird won the Belmont Stakes today, edging front runner Mine That Bird and ending jockey Calvin Borel’s run to be the first to earn a personal Triple Crown, per NBC Sports.

“Summer Bird wins – wanted Mine That Bird, but oh well!”
TwitPic posted by @kennedyferris

Borel failed to keep his promise that he would win Belmont and be the first jockey to win a personal Triple Crown after winning the Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird and Preakness on Rachel Alexandra.

Summer Bird, ridden by jockey Kent Desmormeaux, had 11-1 odds to take the last leg of the Triple Crown, but blew past favorites Dunkirk and Mine That Bird, who took second and third place respectively.

Lots of happy betters who won a few pennies on Summer Bird, but some Tweeters were disappointed that Borel didn’t win the Triple Crown:

1. 
   PinnacleGrpInfo Well, it appears that the Belmont Stakes flipped the bird this time. 06 Jun 2009 from TweetDeck
2. 
   maryhillier CONGRATS KENT DESORMEAUX FOR WINNING THE BELMONT STAKES RACE! 06 Jun 2009 from web
3. 
   onehotrobot Yay, Desormeaux! I had a feeling betting on the jockeys was the way to go (Got the winner and an exacta.) Woo! #Belmont Stakes 06 Jun 2009 from web
4. 
   bbjsports 2 bad “Rachel Alexandra” didn’t run N the Belmont Stakes; woulda been a FAB FINISH with both “Bird” colts & “Dunkirk”. What a grueling race! 06 Jun 2009 from web
5. 
   BonnieLowe Liked what Belmont Stakes winning jockey Kent Desormeaux said about Summer Bird, horse that won: “He just never stopped dancing.” 06 Jun 2009 from web
6. 
   Tahbuku Is Sooooo HAPPPY !!!!…….I Won $$$$$ Money @ The Belmont Stakes……..Even Though I Wasnt Actually There……..Way To Go SUMMER BIRD 06 Jun 2009 from web
7. 
   DFresh419 congrats to Summer Bird, winner of the Belmont Stakes 06 Jun 2009 from web
8. 
   LuLuJustine just saw the belmont stakes. Sorry Mine that Bird didn’t win and philly Rachel Alexander wasn’t up to par to be in it. Next time, maybe. 06 Jun 2009 from web

“At the Belmont stakes. Let’s go summer bird.”
TwitPic posted by @ayoungtrex

Tweeters were reporting the horse race was causing long traffic delays:

1. 
   sheckles27 just lost a couple sheckles on the belmont stakes no big deal tho bout to see whats good for tonight.. 06 Jun 2009 from web
2. 
   bindubalan belmont stakes today- traffic is crazyyyy 06 Jun 2009 from web
3. 
   BeautyBBoxRadio Of course I would be the one to make moves to Jerz from LI during the Belmont Stakes let out. This traffic is all types of wrong! 06 Jun 2009 from TwitterFon
4. 
   yardyouth I missed the Belmont Stakes exacta by one horse….lost $24 cash 06 Jun 2009 from web
5. 
   calvindumandan Sooo freakin traffic coz of belmont stakes 06 Jun 2009 from TwitterBerry
6. 
   kloveleigh I know, @calvindumandan. i hate how the belmont stakes are right across the street from us, took me an hour just to get into our street! 07 Jun 2009 from web

“Vindication! Summer Bird and Dunkirk in the Belmont! Who had the exacta for $5? This guy!!”
TwitPic posted by @mattwrobel

What do you think about Summer Bird making the upset for the Belmont Stakes? Comment below or Tweet us @BTSports!

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Borel’s horse, Mine That Bird, is the 2-1 front runner to win the Stakes, per the Times-Picayune, and the win would give Borel a personal Triple Crown. The jockey won the Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird and took Preakness riding Rachel Alexandra, and Borel is already claiming victory.

“Staff photographer Skip Dickstein got this photo of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird on arrival at Belmont Park in Elmont today.”
TwitPic posted by @timesunion

Right behind Bird is Charitable Man with a 3-1 chance of taking the Stakes after coming off a decisive victory in the Peter Pan. Charitable Man’s jockey, Kiaran McLaughlin — who won Belmont Stakes in 2006 with his only Stakes starter, Jazil — said he is confident about his horse’s chances.

Third in line is Dunkirk, who hasn’t raced since finishing 11th in the Kentucky Derby, with a 5-1 chance. His trainer Todd Pletcher said despite stumbling at the start of the Derby, Dunkirk has faith in the horse.

“If you put your thumb over the Kentucky Derby, he’s the favorite or close to it,” Pletcher said.

Even though it’s only Wednesday, we’ve got some predictions and commentary already:

1. 
   giannabarkerh Mine That Bird will be coming out of post position 7 in the Belmont Stakes. Seven was always my favorite number! 04 Jun 2009 from web
2. 
   BonaStables Decided it could be Charitable Man in the Belmont Stables. Maybe box with Dunkirk, Mine that Bird and a longshot for the super. 04 Jun 2009 from web
3. 
   marinospecogna Belmont weekend, can Borel win all three of the Triple Crown races???? 04 Jun 2009 from web
4. 
   NolaLinda Crawfish boil and the Belmont Stakes, we know the La jockey will win it! 04 Jun 2009 from mobile web
5. 
   dominicbasulto Nick Zito’s got two horses running in this weekend’s Belmont Stakes. Despite 30-1 odds, don’t discount Miner’s Escape and Brave Victory… 04 Jun 2009 from TweetDeck
6. 
   crumbsforyou Will Mine That Bird win the Belmont Stakes on Saturday? Calvi Borel is sounding a bit arrogant, so have to go against him. 04 Jun 2009 from web
7. 
   embnogoy How ’bout Calvin Borel on board Mine That Bird for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes in New York. 04 Jun 2009 from web

Alright Tweeters, bust out the big floppy hats and mint juleps and tell us who you have winning the Belmont Stakes. Comment below or Tweet us @BTSports!

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Becoming the first filly to win the Preakness since 1924, Rachel Alexandra ran a time of 1:55.08, just over a length ahead of Mine That Bird.

Rachel Alexandra won the Kentucky Oaks two weeks ago, was sold in a multimillion dollar deal and then entered in the Preakness by new new owner. No one was more confident in her than regular rider Calvin Borel, who jumped off Mine That Bird to ride her.

Fans expressed their excitement about the filly’s win on Twitter.

1. 
   4cast4you What a good horse race! I think if the Preakness was as long as the Kentucky Derby, we’d be talking about triple crown chances right now. 16 May 2009 from TwitterBerry
2. 
   ynotkissme #Preakness Boy, that was an exciting race! I think it has all 2 do with the jockey! My horse came in 3rd so glad I didn’t bet for real 2 win 16 May 2009 from TwitterFon
3. 
   kenkobel wow, great Preakness. I hope a lot of non-horse racing fans got to see that race and realize how great the sport is. 16 May 2009 from web
4. 
   gregzimmerman Wow! Great Preakness run! Too bad for Mine That Bird but great run for Rachel Alexandra! 16 May 2009 from TweetDeck

1. 
   ctgirl4life Woohoo!! Rachel Alexandra wins the Preakness! And who said the girls can’t run with the boys?! ) 16 May 2009 from web
2. 
   klwurth Just watched Rachel Alexandra win the Preakness. Way to run like a girl! 16 May 2009 from Spaz
3. 
   agardina Rachel Alexandra wins the Preakness! And to think, race officials said “only women” would bet on her. Guess they were a little off! 16 May 2009 from Seesmic Desktop
4. 
   anisahmichael Philly “Rachel Alexandra” beats Kentucky Derby winner “Mine That Bird” and the rest of the boys in the Preakness Stakes! Good girl! 16 May 2009 from Twitterrific

“#Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra.” (Posted by @EDXD2 on May 16, 2009.)

Video of the race, provided by the user partymanners on YouTube.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRbF1kZQLjA]

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Nicanor got his first win in his first start on the grass. In three prior races, he’d finished second twice. The 3-year-old colt led throughout under jockey Rosie Napravnik, drawing clear down the stretch to win by about 15 lengths according to the article.

Barbaro began his career on grass as a 2-year-old but later switched to the dirt, on which he won the 2006 Kentucky Derby. The colt broke down in the Preakness and was euthanized in January 2007.

Nicanor has drawn intense public interest, including a blog dedicated to him, because of his famous older brother. Racing fans on Twitter celebrated the colt’s win.

1. 
   hcfarm Yeah! Nicanor got the win today on turf! Freakin’ excited right now! 13 May 2009 from txt
2. 
   wowhorse Way to go, Nicanor! Holy smokes! Barbaro’s baby bro broke his maiden today by 15 1/4 lengths when on the grass for the first time! 13 May 2009 from web
3. 
   MJ_SCTrekWidow Woo hoo! Go Nicky Knocks! Barbaro’s baby bro Nicanor breaks his maiden by 15! 13 May 2009 from TwitterBerry
4. 
   Three_Chimneys BARBARO’s little bro NICANOR (both by Dynaformer) just trounced his competition by…get this…more than 15 lengths!!! 13 May 2009 from web
5. 
   SuzInQueenCity Nicanor broke his maiden by 15 on turf! Go Nicanor! 13 May 2009 from web
6. 
   jlaner0408 Nicanor broke his maiden!!! 13 May 2009 from web

HorseRacingInside posted a video of the race on YouTube.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFxTN1krFuY]

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Per the Blood Horse, the favored Pioneerof The Nile took the Santa Anita Derby in California. The colt stalked the pace, then took over turning for home and held off late bids from Chocolate Candy and Mr. Hot Stuff. Pioneerof The Nile, trained by three-time Derby winner Bob Baffert, was expected to be strongly challenged by dual stakeswinner The Pamplemousse, but the highly-regarded colt was scratched with a tendon problem the morning of the race. His Derby status is in question.

Racing fans reacted shortly after the race.

1. 
   raceday360 The Turk is checking in from Santa Anita: http://is.gd/qLEo. Reports “loud moans” rolled through grandstand at news of Pamplemousse scratch. 04 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   bloodstock They are going to have to get PON to settle. If not. kiss the derby goodbye. Very nice run from Eon’s colt 04 Apr 2009 from twhirl
3. 
   raceday360 Nice show of versatility from Pioneerof the Nile. I’m feeling very good about my top three KYD prospects right now. 04 Apr 2009 from web
4. 
   EJXD2 If Pioneerof is 10-1 or better on Derby day I might have to pawn something. 04 Apr 2009 from Splitweet

Also on the Blood Horse, I Want Revenge won the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, just outside of New York City, despite a troubled trip. The colt broke poorly from the starting gate, then was caught in traffic turning for home. He bulled his way between horses with a gritty late run to take command late. I Want Revenge made it back-to-back stakes wins after taking the Gotham last month and is headed to Kentucky as one of the Derby favorites.

His strong performance was discussed on Twitter shortly afterward.

1. 
   raceday360 Oh! I Want Revenge surprised by the start … trails after :24.50 first quarter … trapped around the turn … GETS THE WIN! Wow. 04 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   JimTheTolerable What in the world did we just see?? I am breathless… 04 Apr 2009 from web
3. 
   raceday360 @JimTheTolerable We just saw a true Derby horse. 04 Apr 2009 from web in reply to JimTheTolerable
4. 
   AlexBrownRacing @joedrape yes, nice win from I Want Revenge despite a very poor ride. would be surprised if talamo keeps the mount for the Derby. 04 Apr 2009 from web in reply to joedrape

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