Songbird Dazzles in Del Mar Debutante

Fox Hill Farm's Songbird upstaged the West Coast's best 2-year-old fillies with a commanding victory in the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) Sept. 5.



Breaking from the outside in a field of 10, the Jerry Hollendorfer trainee went to the front, met the challenge of Sorrento (gr. II) winner Pretty N Cool, and put away that rival with ease to win the seven-furlong event by 5 1/2 lengths under jockey Mike Smith. The pair hit the wire in 1:22.65.

"She ran very spectacular today," Hollendorfer said. "You always worry coming down the lane a little, but he had a lot of horse left and Mike rode her beautifully."



Sent off as the even-money favorite after romping in similar style during her maiden debut July 26 at Del Mar, the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro   set fractions of :22.33 and :44.84 through a half-mile while being pressed by the Bob Baffert-trained Pretty N Cool.



The pair went head and head through six furlongs in 1:09.81, but Songbird kicked clear in the final furlong. Land Over Sea rallied late to get third, three-quarters of a length back.

"For such a big mare, things just come so easy for her," Smith said. "I've been getting on her in the mornings and I'm impressed by just how well she does things. She came right out of that gate today—so smooth. We went at it with that other filly and I had to ride mine at the end. To beat horses like this you've got to work."



Songbird paid $4.20, $2.60, and $2.20 across the board. Pretty N Cool brought $2.80 and $2.60, and Land Over Sea delivered $5 to show.

Pretty N Cool's jockey, Martin Garcia, said the filly—who won the Sorrento impressively Aug. 12—may have needed more time between races.

"She’s a good filly, better than what she showed today," Garcia said. "I think her last race was too close. I think she would have liked some more time."

Right There closed well to finish fourth, followed by Stays in Vegas, One True Kiss, Surfside Tiara, Mitzi Winks, My Dynamo, and Come to Mischief, to complete the order of finish. Gomo was scratched.

Bred in Kentucky by John Antonelli, out of the West Acre mare Ivanavinalot, Songbird's record is a perfect two-for-two with $222,000 in earnings. She was a $400,000 purchase by Fox Hill at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale when consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency.