Birdstone Gets Triple Double In 2009 Classics
Stallion Duplicates Count Fleet's 1951 Score
Jun 15, 2009
Who is a better triple double percentage scorer, Kobe or LeBron?
Neither.
Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) and LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) are both brilliant triple double marksmen on the basketball court, but neither one can boast of a better playing field triple double scoring percentage than Thoroughbred stallions Count Fleet and 2009's Birdstone.
Hot Thoroughbred Winning Percentages
Winning two of three classics in one season is a sixty-six percent winning mark, a better season's percentage score than Kobe's and LeBron's total numbers of triple doubles in games played this year.
The 'Bird Triple doubled in this season's American classics with two different sons. Each won one of the Triple Crown races, catapulting their poppa to a level that matched the feat of the great Count Fleet, 1943's Triple Crown champion and sire of two of the three American classic victors in 1951. Count Fleet also sired the Belmont Stakes winner of 1952 and was the son of Reigh Count, 1928's Kentucky Derby champion.
Count Fleet holds the runner-up longest winning margin in the 1-1/2 miles Belmont Stakes -- twenty-five lengths -- second to the incomparable Secretariat.
Birdstone is the son of a Kentucky Derby champion, 1996's Grindstone.
Count Fleet's Champion Sons 1951 and 1952
- 1952 --- Belmont Stakes winner --- One Count (Horse of the Year)
- 1951 --- Belmont Stakes winner --- Counterpoint (Horse of the Year)
- 1951 --- Kentucky Derby winner --- Count Turf
Birdstone's Champion Sons 2009
Mine That Bird, the smaller of the two sons of Birdstone, won the most famous classic, the Kentucky Derby. The other 'Bird son, Summer Bird, soared over his half brother in the third classic of the Crown series, the Belmont Stakes.
Poppa 'Bird also won that third classic, scorching the streaking Smarty Jones in 2004, in the family come from behind 'Bird fashion. And here's the biggest word -- 'Bird upset Smarty's sure bid for the twelfth Triple Cown title in history, becoming the fourth family member to claim that notorious honor. Empire Maker beat out Funny Cide in 2003, Lemon Drop Kid stopped Charismatic in 1999, and Victory Gallop halted Real Quiet's Triple attempt in 1998.
Birdstone Male Family Tree Belmont Winners
Summer Bird is a maternal great-great-grandson of English Triple Crown champion Nijinsky II. His paternal great-grandsire is Storm Bird, sire of the prolific and recently pensioned sire, Storm Cat.
Birdstone's family is deeply rooted in distance running. In addition to Poppa 'Bird's aforementioned accomplishments, he is one of thirteen recent male family members who were Belmont Stakes champions before becoming successful stallions.
Belmont Stakes winners in italics; year of Belmont win in parenthesis:
- Summer Bird (2009), by Birdstone (2004), by Grindstone, by Empire Maker (2003), by Unbridled, by Cryptoclearance, by Mr. Prospector -- Victory Gallop (1998) sired by Cryptoclearance
- Afleet Alex (2005), by Northern Afleet, by Afleet, by Mr. Prospector
- Hansel (1991), by Woodman, by Seeking the Gold -- Jazil (2006) sired by Seeking the Gold, by Kingmambo -- Lemon Drop Kid (1999) sired by Kingmambo, by Gulch -- Point Given (2001) sired by Thunder Gulch (1995), by Gulch, by Gone West -- Commendable (2000) sired by Gone West, by Forty Niner -- Editor's Note (1996) sired by Forty Niner, by Fappiano, by Conquistador Cielo (1982), by Afleet, by Mr. Prospector
Will Birdstone Have a 2009 Division Champion Son?
The 'Bird is definitely the Word in Thoroughbred racing this year. With two Triple Crown races under his sons' girths this season, Birdstone has raised his family tree to its highest growth potential yet. The skyward bound tree may sprout a new divisional champion, or even a Horse of the Year for 2009.
Thoroughbred foundation sire, The Darley Arabian, sire to Flying Childers and Eclipse, the father of American Thoroughbred racing, would be proud.
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