No bird for Borel

Owner of Mine That Bird, Mark Allen, made a preemptive strike against jockey Calvin Borel.

He took him off Mine That Bird.

After being, what Allen called, strung along prior to the Preakness Stakes, he decided to take Borel off for good so as to avoid this conflict.

Frankly, this is about ego.  I'm sure Allen felt belittled and emasculated when Borel waited until Rachel Alexandra — a once in a generation type filly — committed to the race before letting the Bird camp know who he was to ride.  

Owners are rich.  They are rich because they did things their way.  They are used to getting their way.  And when one hick trumped the other hick, well, you got a good ol' fashioned ho down.

By doing this, Allen assured himself that yes, he is in control.  Trainer Chip Wooley was never one to pressure Borel, instead taking the high road to success and making himself a star.  

Jockeys jump from horse to horse all the time.  That is the game.  Surprise, surprise.

Allen wants a commitment for the rest of the year from a jockey to ride Mine That Bird.  Who ya gonna get to do that?  Edgar Prado?  Nope.  Kent Desormeaux?  Nope.  John Velazquez?  Alan Garcia?  Tobey MacGuire?  Possibly.

The only jockey that will where cement shoes will be a B-list rider because the A-list jocks aren't going to sell their chances short should a better horse be vacant come the big dance in November.

So when another jockey jumps from Mine That Bird to somebody else, Allen will learn the hard way he cannot control a rider anymore than the rider can control him.  

When a good one comes along, you best keep him happy because Borel has a way of spoiling the party and he'll be pointing that whip the entire way.