Belmont S. (G1) winner SUMMER BIRD (Birdstone) will make
a brief return to Churchill Downs on Thursday. Trainer Tim Ice is vanning Summer
Bird from his home base at Louisiana Downs to Monmouth Park for the August 2
Haskell Invitational (G1).
“We are going to stop over there for about 10 hours and then
get back on the road that night,” said Ice, who expects to arrive at Churchill
Downs around 10 a.m. (EDT) Thursday morning and be housed in the Stakes Barn
(Barn 17). “He had his first work since the Belmont (Saturday) morning and he went nice and
easy. He’s a happy horse right now and we want to
keep him that way.”
Summer Bird breezed five furlongs in 1:04 2/5 over the fast main track at
Louisiana Downs.
Fourth in his debut on March 1, Summer Bird won a maiden at Oaklawn Park by 2
1/4 lengths and then ran third in the Arkansas Derby (G2). He was sixth in the
Kentucky Derby (G1) before prevailing in the Belmont by 2 3/4 lengths over
Dunkirk (Unbridled’s Song) and Mine That Bird (Birdstone).
His record currently stands at 5-2-0-1, $723,040.