Mine That Bird offers intrigue

Less than a month ago, Mine That Bird and Rachel Alexandra could have walked into the Churchill Downs paddock drawing barely a glance. Now they are horse racing’s two biggest celebrities.

Winning the Kentucky Derby (Mine That Bird) and the Preakness (Rachel Alexandra) will make even racing’s newcomers take notice. Add in compelling story lines behind each horse, and the public’s imagination is likely to be captured.

I don’t believe a star horse, or in this case two, is enough to reverse the horse racing industry’s fortunes. Racing needs a smart, new business plan and wise leadership for that. But the short-term positives are something worth building upon.

I sense racing insiders are drawn in particular to the filly, Rachel Alexandra. It is rare when a girl beats the boys in a Triple Crown race. Her 20-length win in the Kentucky Oaks is as special a race as one will see. She cost new owner Jess Jackson a king’s ransom, reportedly in the $10 million range, to purchase her. She is equine royalty.

But she has a built-in drawback that hinders using star horses as the foundation for an industry turnaround. Rachel Alexandra will be retired either at the end of this year or, at the latest, next year. Then it’s on to the breeding shed to produce one foal a year.

For my two cents, Mine That Bird would be a better long-term promotional tool. First off, he’s a gelding, meaning no stud possibilities and he’ll race for as many years as he remains healthy and productive.

His two sparkling runs in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness hopefully proved he is the real deal. His exciting last-to-first running style is reminiscent of Silky Sullivan, and his blue-collar resume is more like that of Seabiscuit.

In fact, the colorful connections of owners Mark Allen and Leonard Blach, trainer Chip Woolley and jockey Calvin Borel, when he gets reunited with Mine That Bird, would measure up with C.S. Howard, Tom Smith and Red Pollard of Seabiscuit fame.

Great geldings such as Kelso, Forego and John Henry built followings that horses seldom see today. Mine That Bird has that kind of potential. He is an underdog that has become a classic overachiever.

• ALIANTE CONTEST — Aliante Station will host DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship action today and Saturday. Today, there will be a $25 sub-qualifier. On Saturday, a $100 contest will give the top two finishers a seat at the NHC at Red Rock on Jan. 29 and 30.

Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com.