| Summer Bird | |
|---|---|
 Summer Bird (2009 Haskell Invitational post parade) | |
| Sire | Birdstone |
| Grandsire | Grindstone |
| Dam | Hong Kong Squall |
| Damsire | Summer Squall |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 2006 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Breeder | Kalarikkal K. & Vilasini D. Jayaraman |
| Owner | Kalarikkal K. & Vilasini D. Jayaraman |
| Trainer | 1)Tim A. Ice 2)Timothy F. Ritchey |
| Record | 8:4-1-1 |
| Earnings | $1,573,040 |
| Major wins | |
| Travers Stakes (2009) Jockey Club Gold Cup (2009) Triple Crown race wins: Belmont Stakes(2009) | |
| Awards | |
| American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse (2009) | |
Summer Bird (April 7, 2006 – December 23, 2013) was a champion AmericanThoroughbredracehorse, son of 2004Belmont Stakes winnerBirdstone. He was bred by retiredcardiologist Kalarikkal Jayaraman and his wife, retiredpathologist Vilasini Jayaraman, at their Tiffany Farm nearOcala, Florida.[1] On June 3, 2010, Summer Bird was retired due to complications of a previous injury.
Raced by his breeders, Summer Bird won the2009 Belmont Stakes, the third leg of theU.S. Triple Crown, in whichKentucky Derby winner andPreakness Stakes runner-upMine That Bird was favored. The win was the second of his five-start career, and followed a third in theArkansas Derby and a sixth in theKentucky Derby. After the Belmont, he was sent toMonmouth Park,New Jersey, to prep for the Haskell Invitational. He finished second in that race to champion femaleRachel Alexandra.
Summer Bird was then taken toSaratoga Race Course to compete in the prestigiousTravers Stakes.Mine That Bird was also entered, andRachel Alexandra was a possible contender. Both horses were taken out of the race, though, Mine That Bird because of throat surgery and Rachel Alexandra because she was entered in theWoodward Stakes against older males the week after the Travers. Summer Bird took the lead in the Travers over Kensei at the quarter pole and held off a late closing longshot, Hold Me Back, to win and earn his second Grade 1 victory on a sloppy track. Quality Road finished third. Summer Bird also won the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont on October 3, 2009. He was the first horse in over 20 years to win all three prestigious races in New York. He then finished fourth in theBreeders' Cup Classic behind champion mareZenyatta atSanta Anita Park on November 7, 2009, as the third betting choice at 6–1. He won the Eclipse Award for male three-year-olds in 2009. He was being pointed towards theJapan Cup Dirt, but during a recent workout he showed signs of distress and pulled up lame. He did not race in the Japan Cup, due to a condylar fracture in his right foreleg.
On February 9, 2010, owners K.K. and Vilasini Jayaraman transferred Summer Bird, along with five other horses, to trainerTim Ritchey. Although the colt underwent rehabilitation for his injury, he did not return to the races.[2]
Summer Bird was retired to stud in 2011 and initially stood at Pauls Mill inVersailles, Kentucky, for a fee of $15,000. His first crop of US foals (2012) would begin racing in 2014.[3] He was sold and exported to Japan in 2013 where he stood for one breeding season and died on December 23, 2013, ofcolic.[4] His first crop of Japanese-born foals would begin racing in 2016.
Summer Bird joined Mine That Bird as the second foal of Birdstone to win a Triple Crown race and became the second third-generation descendant ofUnbridled to do so. On his sire's side, he is also descended from 1964 Triple Crown contenderNorthern Dancer. His dam, Hong Kong Squall, was sired bySummer Squall, giving Summer Bird relation to 1999 Triple Crown contenderCharismatic and making him a descendant of 1973 Triple Crown winnerSecretariat. His dam's mother, Hong Kong Jade, gives him descent from 1987 Triple Crown contenderAlysheba and, thus,Alydar, the horse that finished second in all three Triple Crown races toAffirmed in 1978. Hong Kong Squall died May 20, 2010, after giving birth to a full sister to Summer Bird.[1]
| Sire Birdstone | Grindstone | Unbridled | Fappiano |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gana Facil | |||
| Buzz My Bell | Drone | ||
| Chateaupavia | |||
| Dear Birdie | Storm Bird | Northern Dancer | |
| South Ocean | |||
| Hush Dear | Silent Screen | ||
| You All | |||
| Dam Hong Kong Squall | Summer Squall | Storm Bird | Northern Dancer |
| South Ocean | |||
| Weekend Surprise | Secretariat | ||
| Lassie Dear | |||
| Hong Kong Jade | Alysheba | Alydar | |
| Bel Sheba | |||
| Ruby Slippers | Nijinsky | ||
| Moon Glitter |
