Hurry Up Roberto, I Got A Plane To Catch!

Birdbird and Roberto will be up extra early today so they can catch a 7AM flight bound for New Orleans where Birdbird returns to competition in the Louisiana Derby. Birdbird had his final breeze yesterday at Palm Meadows, going four furlongs in .48 and galloping out five furlongs in 1:00. Afterwards he was scoped and everything came back clean; all systems are GO for the Derby Trail.

Trainer Ken McPeek will be participating in an NTRA conference call today. Birdbird has been added as a separate betting interest at 18-1 in Pool 2 of the Derby Futures Pool. Bodog.com has Birdbird at 50-1 on their site. Birdbird got some ink in a Bloodhorse article too.

Meanwhile, Birdbirdistheword, trained by Kenneth McPeek, will go up against the recently impressive colt Imawildandcrazyguy in the March 10 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) at Fair Grounds.

According to McPeek, his contender "has been a piece of cake--he's a very special horse. The most difficult thing has been the people calling to buy him." McPeek said he has received several offers for the strapping dark bay son of Pure Prize in recent weeks.

"He's easy to handle, a total pro," continued McPeek, who saddled Birdbirdistheword for three victories last year, including the $1 million Boyd Gaming's Delta Jackpot (gr. III) at Delta Downs. The Louisiana Derby will mark the colt's 2007 debut.

"Since (the Delta Jackpot), he's done everything perfectly and on schedule," said McPeek.

With the pressure off his back of getting enough graded stakes earnings for Birdbirdistheword's ticket to the Run for the Roses, the trainer said, "I can take my time and develop the horse. We were able to back off and gave him 30 days off (after the Delta Jackpot). Now we've got a nice little work pattern set up."

McPeek said he was even impressed with Birdbirdistheword's fourth-place effort in the Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) at Keeneland last fall, considering the colt had been scoped for a lung infection after the race.