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Topic: Birdstone

	Birdstone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
		Birdstone (born May 16, 2001) is a thoroughbred racehorse now best known for winning the 2004 Belmont Stakes.
		Birdstone's victory represented the first in the Belmont for trainer Nick Zito, whose horses had finished second in that classic five times.
		According to the New York Times, the next major target for Birdstone was the Travers Stakes, which he won despite being the fourth choice at 5-1.
	en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Birdstone (185 words)

	Birdstone - 2004 Belmont winner
		Birdstone is not the biggest thoroughbred horse in the world.
		Two months after the Belmont, and with Smarty Jones retired, Birdstone would have the spotlight to himself in the G1 Travers.
		With a powerful thunderstorm beginning to pound the historic Saratoga racecourse, Birdstone rolled home by 2 ½ lengths over his stablemate The Cliff’s Edge.
	www.horsehats.com /Birdstone.html (147 words)

	Turf Angels.com
		Birdstone, a longshot at 38 - 1, upset the Triple Crown bid of Smarty Jones in the Belmont Stakes (gr.
		Nick Zito trains Birdstone, a colt owned by Marylou Whitney, who was in tears in the winner's circle due to spoiling the Triple Crown bid.
		Birdstone is a brother to 2003 Kentucky Oaks (gr.
	www.turfangels.com /belmont (348 words)

	Birdstone Proves Worth With Travers Win (washingtonpost.com)
		He kept Birdstone within striking distances of the pacesetters on the backstretch and launched a move to challenge them on the turn.
		Birdstone was practically a forgotten horse at the time of the Belmont Stakes, until he rallied in the last eighth of a mile to spoil Smarty Jones's bid for glory.
		Birdstone emphatically demonstrated Saturday that it was not.
	www.washingtonpost.com /wp-dyn/articles/A42826-2004Aug28.html (539 words)

	Boston.com / Sports / Other sports / Horse racing news / Birdstone reigns during storm at the Travers
		Birdstone followed early leaders Lion Heart and Purge, stalking from third, took over when ready in the stretch, and held closer The Cliff's Edge off to the wire to score by 2 1/2 lengths under Edgar Prado, who had a big day, winning five races on the card.
		But none of that bothered Birdstone, who ran the 1 1/4 miles in 2:02 2/5 and returned $11.60 to win, or owner Marylou Whitney, who won her first Travers (although her late husband, CV Whitney, won three), or trainer Nick Zito, who took his first Travers on his 12th try.
		Coming into the race, Birdstone had plenty of detractors, and, at 9-2, was the fourth choice.
	www.boston.com /sports/other_sports/horse_racing/articles/2004/08/29/birdstone_reigns_during_storm_at_the_travers?pg=full (834 words)

	Boston.com / Sports / Other sports / Horse racing news / Trainer pleased with Birdstone's workout
		Birdstone, scratched from the Blue Grass Stakes because of a high white blood cell count, looked strong in a five-furlong workout Thursday at Churchill Downs in preparation for next month's Kentucky Derby.
		Birdstone is one of two Kentucky Derby contenders for Zito, who won the Derby with Strike the Gold in 1991 and with Go for Gin in 1994.
		Birdstone, owned by the Marylou Whitney Stables, turned in the 11th fastest of 46 five-furlong workouts at Churchill on Thursday.
	www.boston.com /sports/other_sports/horse_racing/articles/2004/04/15/trainer_pleased_with_birdstones_workout (183 words)

	Welcome to Gainesway!
		Birdstone, winner of the Belmont Stakes (G1), Travers Stakes (G1), Champagne Stakes (G1), etc., has been retired to stud duty and will stand at Gainesway Farm in Lexington, KY, as the property of Marylou Whitney Stables.
		Birdstone, who was trained by Nick Zito, retired with five victories from nine starts for earnings of $1,575,600.
		Birdstone's half-sister, Eclipse Champion filly Bird Town, captured the fastest-ever Kentucky Oaks (G1) as well as the Acorn Stakes (G1) in 2003.
	www.gainesway.com /news?p=stallion&i=166 (334 words)

	Belmont leaves 'Jones' smarting
		Which was why Birdstone was 36-1 and the third-longest choice in the field of nine.
		Birdstone, a son of 1996 Derby winner Grindstone and the half-brother to 2003 Kentucky Oaks winner Bird Town, now is 4-0-0 in seven starts, earning $975,600 with the $600,000 payday for owner Marylou Whitney, a grand dame of racing.
		The race was decided 12 strides from the wire, as Birdstone got his head in front and edged away in the late stages.
	www.enquirer.com /editions/2004/06/06/spt_sptbel1a.html (1617 words)

	Out-Smarted - The Washington Times: Sports - June 06, 2004 (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-09)
		Birdstone trainer Nick Zito said earlier he would be glad to finish second to Smarty Jones, but he was underestimating his own horse.
		Birdstone was once among the best 2-year-old colts last year but never matured physically this season and fell behind his generational running mates.
		Birdstone caught Smarty Jones inside the sixteenth pole and thoughts of the next superhorse were gone before Birdstone crossed the wire.
	www.washtimes.com /sports/20040606-011605-9154r.htm (789 words)

	Print Version
		Birdstone made his move down the back stretch, when the track was straight and it was obvious that Smarty was getting tired.
		Sure, he had 36-1 odds, but Birdstone had won three out of his last six races, and Smarty Jones was extremely overhyped at 1-5.
		What's more, Birdstone had already won the Champaign Stakes at Belmont earlier this year, so he was familiar with the track and the best way to attack it.
	www.cumberlink.com /articles/2004/06/09/sports/sports02.prt (893 words)

	ESPN.com - Triple Crown 2004 - Smarty's bid for coveted Triple Crown foiled
		Birdstone, ridden by Edgar Prado, had Smarty Jones in his sights, and 11 strides from the wire, trainer Nick Zito's colt went by the KentuckyDerby-Preakness winner en route to a length victory before a crowd of 120,139, the largest ever to see a sporting event in New York.
		Prado had let Birdstone move comfortably while Smarty took the heat down the backstretch, and although he was far back, he still hadn't used his horse.Birdstone moved four-wide on the far turn, and Smarty wasn't home free.
		Birdstone gained 4 1/4 lengths in a sluggish final quarter of 26.98 seconds after Smarty Jones ran 1 1/2 miles in a blazing 2:00.52.
	espn.go.com /horse/triplecrown04/s/2004/0605/1816487.html (1306 words)

	NYRA.com - Travers (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-09)
		D espite dark and foreboding skies that covered Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone caught pacesetters Lion Heart and Purge in the stretch to win the 135th running of the Travers Stakes (Gr.
		Birdstone, under Edgar Prado, won the 1 Â¼-mile Travers in 2:02 2/5 before the majority of rain fell.
		Birdstone stalked a moderate pace â” :24 2/5, :49 and 1:12 4/5 â” set by Lion Heart.
	www.nyra.com /saratoga/travers2003/full_story.aspx?id=58 (157 words)

	Thoroughbred Times: Today's News (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-09)
		Marylou Whitney’s homebred Birdstone, the little colt with a huge heart as trainer Nick Zito described him after he won the Belmont Stakes (G1) and ended Smarty Jones’s quest for the Triple Crown, has been retired after being diagnosed with a bone chip in his left front ankle.
		Birdstone is the first horse since Easy Goer to sweep the Champagne, Belmont, and Travers Stakes.
		Hendrickson said he noticed that Birdstone, who is likely to be a finalist for the Eclipse Award as champion three-year-old male after also making the finalist list for top two-year-old last year, seemed to take some awkward steps immediately after the start of the Classic.
	www.thoroughbredtimes.com /todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=50461&subsec=2 (568 words)

	Printable Version (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-09)
		The little red chestnut was poised to become the 12th Triple Crown champion when he turned for home, but Birdstone came flying down the stretch and took the lead inside the 16th pole to win by a length.
		Birdstone, who ran eighth behind Smarty Jones in the Derby, gave Prado his second huge upset in the Belmont.
		Birdstone went off at 36-1, and gave trainer Nick Zito his first Belmont win after five second-place finishes.
	www.helenair.com /articles/2004/06/06/sports/b01060604_02.prt (683 words)

	Travers Puts Birdstone on Division's Perch - bloodhorse.com
		Birdstone staked his claim as the class of the 3-year-old Thoroughbred division with the victory two months after denying Smarty Jones the Triple Crown in the Belmont.
		A son of Grindstone, Birdstone had taken quite a bit of criticism for being unworthy after winning the Belmont in a 36-1 surprise over Smarty Jones.
		Birdstone, who is out of the Storm Bird mare Dear Birdie, was one of the leading candidates for 3-year-old honors in 2004 after he won the Champagne (gr.
	racing.bloodhorse.com /viewstory.asp?id=24059 (976 words)

	USATODAY.com - Travers victory gives Birdstone his own stage (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-09)
		Birdstone covered the 1 ¼ miles in 2:02.45 and paid $11.60, $5.70 and $4.
		Birdstone, ridden by Edgar Predo, seized the lead by the time the field reached the final turn and held off a challenge from The Cliff's Edge, also trained by Zito.
		When Birdstone took the lead at the top of the stretch, he proved he was the best horse in the field.
	www.usatoday.com /sports/horses/2004-08-28-travers-stakes_x.htm (1032 words)

	Smarty foil Birdstone rolls in Travers
		''Birdstone proved to a lot of people today, and I don't want to be a jerk about this because you've got to be humble, but a lot of people thought that that Belmont Stakes was a fluke,'' Zito said.
		Birdstone beat The Cliff's Edge by 2-1/2 lengths, staking his claim as the class of the 3-year-old thoroughbreds.
		Birdstone, ridden by Edgar Prado, covered the 1-1/4 miles in 2:02.45 and paid $11.60, $5.70 and $4.
	www.suntimes.com /output/horse/cst-spt-horse29.html (266 words)

	Birdstone (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-09)
		Ellsworth Kelly once compared the effect of his paintings with 'birdstones'; they are concrete and at the same time magical and they have an aura of form, according to Kelly.
		He wishes his work, like birdstones, to have an 'eternal existence in the present'.
		This spatial conception brings to mind an association with birdstones - 'concrete and at the same time magical' -, with time as an added dimension.
	www.xs4all.nl /~emmgg/birdstone_e.html (258 words)

	SI.com - More Sports - Injured Belmont winner Birdstone retired - Thursday November 4, 2004 1:54AM
		Birdstone, who spoiled Smarty Jones' Triple Crown attempt by winning the Belmont on June 5, finished seventh behind Ghostzapper in Saturday's $4 million Classic at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.
		Birdstone, who followed his Belmont win with a victory in the Travers on Aug. 28, ends his career with five wins in nine starts and earnings of $1,575,600.
		Birdstone will stand at stud in Kentucky, but final plans were incomplete Wednesday, Hendrickson said.
	sportsillustrated.cnn.com /2004/more/11/04/bc.rac.birdstoneretired.ap (393 words)

	Click2Houston.com - Horse Racing - Birdstone Retires After Injury (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-09)
		Birdstone denied Smarty Jones the Triple Crown with a length victory in the Belmont Stakes.
		Birdstone skipped the Preakness Stakes as Zito got him ready for his triumph in the Belmont Stakes.
		Birdstone finished his short career with five wins in nine starts for better than $1.5 million.
	www.click2houston.com /horseracing/3887814/detail.html (247 words)

	Horse Racing: Birdstone, Silver Minister to meet
		Birdstone, with jockey Jerry Bailey aboard, drew the inside post and was made the even-money favorite to stretch his winning streak to three.
		Birdstone has impressively won a one-mile, 70-yard allowance race at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park.
		Foley was pleased with his post position, especially since Birdstone may have to use some of his early speed to avoid the traffic.
	seattlepi.nwsource.com /othersports/165484_hoss19.html (779 words)

	nbc4.com - Sports - Birdstone Upsets Smarty Jones In Belmont (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-09)
		Elmont, NY -- Birdstone ran down Smarty Jones in the stretch and kept the Triple Crown drought alive with a victory Saturday in the 136th Belmont Stakes.
		Birdstone, ridden by Edgar Prado, completed the 1 1/2 mile "Test of Champions" in a time of 2:27 2/5 over a fast track despite on and off rain.
		Birdstone was the eighth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby and skipped the Preakness to be fresh for this race.
	www.nbc4.com /sports/3386118/detail.html (493 words)

	ESPN.com - Horse Racing - Birdstone retired to stud
		Birdstone, who denied Smarty Jones the Triple Crown by beating him in the Belmont Stakes, has been retired from racing due to an ankle injury his connections announced Wednesday.
		Birdstone will be stabled at Churchill Downs until stud plans are finalized.
		At 3, Birdstone finished fifth as the 3-5 favorite in the Lane's End Stakes at Turfway Park and eighth in the Kentucky Derby.
	espn.go.com /horse/news/2004/1103/1915474.html (475 words)

	The Travers Stakes (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-09)
		Some 18 plus hours after running one-two in yesterday’s Grade 1 Travers with Birdstone and The Cliff’s Edge, trainer Nick Zito was back in the winners’ circle with Commentator, a 1-5 shot who galloped to an easy victory in Sunday’s opener.
		Birdstone, who was making his first start since winning the June 5th Belmont Stakes, ended Zito’s 0 for 11 winless streak in the Travers, taking the “Mid-Summer Derby” by 2 ½ lengths over stablemate The Cliff’s Edge.
		Though Birdstone figures to sit out Belmont Park’s key prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 2nd, Zito may still have a major player in the race with The Cliff’s Edge.
	www.nyra.com /saratoga/travers2002/more_barnnotes.asp?id=65 (1528 words)

	A Good Run Spoiled (washingtonpost.com)
		But Birdstone flopped in his Derby prep race, finishing fifth in the Lanes End Stakes at Turfway Park, and then ran a dismal eighth at Churchill Downs.
		The trainer bypassed the Preakness Stakes and took Birdstone to Saratoga in upstate New York to prepare for the Belmont.
		Whatever he did worked because Birdstone beat Smarty Jones, put the end to Triple Crown dreams of racing fans around the country, and ran the best race of his life.
	www.washingtonpost.com /wp-dyn/articles/A18598-2004Jun5_2.html (526 words)

	FREAK'S Sports & Gambling Forum: Birdstone wins Travers
		Birdstone hadn't raced since surging past Smarty Jones to capture the Belmont on June 5.
		Should Birdstone continue to win big races, he has a chance to steal the three-year-old division championship from the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner.
		The layoff of more than two months for Birdstone did not affect is performance as he became the sixth straight winner of the Travers to have finished in the top three of the Belmont Stakes.
	freaksforum.com /cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=13;t=000255;p=0 (377 words)

	deseretnews.com \| Winners apologize to Smarty \| Deseret Morning News Web edition
		Whitney seemed shaken by the booing as she clutched a small bouquet of white carnations in the winner's circle.
		Birdstone ran the grueling 1 1/2 miles in 2:27.50 and paid $74, $14 and $8.60.
		Birdstone lost more luster with an eighth-place showing in the Kentucky Derby, where one of his shoes fell off on the muddy track.
	deseretnews.com /dn/print/1,1442,595068406,00.html (576 words)

	Birdstone upsets Smarty Jones - Belmont Stakes - MSNBC.com
		Birdstone had to have heart to run down Smarty Jones, who opened a 3 1/2-length lead at the top of the stretch, bringing the record Belmont Stakes crowd of 120,139 to their feet cheering for the heaviest favorite in the race since Spectacular Bid in 1979.
		Birdstone, who was relaxed early and then guided outside by Prado while running fourth on the backstretch, was making a closing move in the center of the track that soon put Smarty in his sights.
		Birdstone, who began the year as one of the top 3-year-olds off his victory in the prestigious Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park as a 2-year-old, had suffered through a miserable year before his upset victory.
	www.msnbc.msn.com /id/5145098 (1374 words)

	the Birdstone (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-09)
		Birdstones have been found throughout eastern America and southeastern Canada and are generally around 3000 years old.
		One of the earliest birdstone finds was made in 1840 at East Windsor Hill, on a bank of the Connecticut River.
		Archaeologists speculate that birdstones may have been used as personal ornaments or as weights or handles for atlatls (spear throwers).
	www.birdstone.org /birdstone.html (176 words)

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