ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Kentucky Derby’s biggest upset in nearly a century brought one New Mexican to the winner’s circle.

Mark Allen is the owner of “Mine That Bird.” They were in Roswell five weeks before the derby.

“I got a call said he was eligible for the derby. It was kinda shocking when I got the call. In fact, I hung up three times, I didn’t believe them. I thought it was a friend playing a joke or something,” said Allen. 

When the race began, Mine That Bird got bumped to last. At times, he was so far back that he wasn’t even in the frame on TV.

Dead last at 3/4 of a mile, he and jockey Calvin Borel bolted up the inside into the final turn.

“I could see we weren’t going to run last, and then I was watching him guide that horse. Guide in and out through that itty bitty hole in the rail, that itty bitty rail. When he went through that, I knew we had it won,” Allen said. 

Now 18 years old, Mine That Bird is still around.

“He just came back from the Kentucky Derby museum. He was up there for a little under a month, greeting fans,” said Allen. 

When he’s not on the road he stays busy.

“Bird’s got a lot of fans. They come by and see him quite a bit. He’s got about a five-acre pasture that he runs on. He’s got his own pen that I’ve put him up in. I’ve got 10 head of horses, and he runs the outfit here,” Allen said. 

To Allen, Mine That Bird is everything.

“He’s like my partner, my buddy. Me and him have been together for a long time. We know each other really well. I know when he’s gonna bite me, he knows when I’m gonna feed him. He’s a character,” said Allen.

A long shot once, but his favorite forever.