'Bird's surgery 'smooth as silk'

Good news Wednesday from the Mine That Bird camp; the Kentucky Derby winner's surgery for an entrapped epiglottis was called "smooth as silk" by trainer Chip Woolley.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Patricia Hogan at the Ruffian Equine Medical Center. Mine That Bird isn't even expected to miss his next start, scheduled to be in the $1 million Travers S.-G1 at Saratoga on Aug. 29.

Hogan called the horse "a wonderful patient" and said the procedure only took "about 15 seconds."

Woolley -- as is his way -- took it upon himself to drive Mine That Bird to the hospital, which across the street from Belmont Park in greater New York City.

Mine That Bird going under the knife

It's a minor procedure, but Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird is having surgery today for an "entrapped epiglottis." The operation is not expected to keep him out of the Travers S.-G1 at Saratoga on Aug. 29, according to trainer Chip Woolley.

The horse ran a dull five furlongs in nearly 1:04 this morning at Saratoga, last of 12 at the distance, which must have prompted some vetting and the realization that surgery was needed.

Surgery will be performed by Dr. Robert Hunt at the Ruffian Equine Medical Center.

While the operation isn't considered a major treatment, we all know how those "minor procedures" can turn out sometimes in both horse and human health care. Good luck to Mine That Bird and his connections; may everything at the hospital go just as planned.

And may somebody at NTRA get around to writing that Bennie Woolley Jr. biography that still hasn't been added to the organization's Web site, three and a half months after the trainer's horse won the biggest race in America.