Songbird Takes Centerstage in Chandelier

The first four finishers from the Sept. 5 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (gr. II) wheel right back at Santa Anita Park for the Sept. 26 Chandelier Stakes (gr. I). Nine juvenile fillies passed the entry box for the 1 1/16-mile Chandelier, headed by one of the "buzz" horses of the Del Mar meeting in Songbird.



The Chandelier, worth $300,000, goes as race eight on an excellent race card at the "Great Race Place" with an approximate post time of 4 p.m. PDT.



Songbird, owned by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms, earned a race high 96 Equibase Speed Figure with her runaway score in the seven-furlong Del Mar Debutante, winning by 5 1/4 lengths under Mike Smith. She broke her maiden at first asking July 26 at Del Mar by 6 1/2 lengths going six panels.



The Jerry Hollendorfer-trained filly is by top sire Medaglia d'Oro  , out of the grade II-winning Ivanavinalot, who in her day terrorized Florida-bred 2-year-olds in the Florida Stallion Series races in 2002. She has also produced the dam of grade III winner Mico Margarita.



Bred in Kentucky by John Antonelli, Songbird was a $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale graduate. Bloodstock agent Tom McGreevy selected the filly from the Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consignment.



Songbird was the even-money favorite in the Debutante and was followed in the odds and to the wire by Pretty N Cool. The gray/roan filly by hot sire Scat Daddy   also broke her maiden at Del Mar at first asking, then won the 6 1/2-furlong Sorrento Stakes (gr. II) by daylight as the 2-5 favorite. She battled with Songbird for the early lead in the Debutante while along the inside and held for second by three-quarters of a length over Land Over Sea. Pretty N Cool has the rail slot for the Chandelier, while Songbird will break from post five.



Pretty N Cool, a $160,000 Keeneland September sale grad and bred in Kentucky by Nancy C. Shuford, is the first foal out of Stayclassysandiego, who was third in the Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park in 2011 and is a half sister to grade I sprinter Sean Avery. She is trained by Bob Baffert for Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman.



Reddam Racing's Land Over Sea, a $130,000 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. spring sale buy, rallied from seventh in the Debutante under Mario Gutierrez. The Bellamy Road   filly broke her maiden over Del Mar's turf course July 29 going a mile, so she does have two-turn experience.



On the far outside is Debutante fourth Right There, a filly by Eskendereya   for Big Chief Racing. A winner of the 5 1/2 furlong Landaluce Stakes in June and fourth in the Sorrento, Keith Desormeaux trains the $55,000 Keeneland September grad.



The Baffert-trained Jade Princess steps to stakes company off a maiden win Aug. 27. There are high hopes for the daughter of leading sire Tapit   from the Don Alberto Stable runner as she was a $775,000 September sale buy. She is out of Jade Queen, by Giant's Causeway  .



Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams' Cal-bred Halo Darlin was impressive over state-breds Sept. 2 at Del Mar. The filly is by Lucky Pulpit  , sire of another top state-bred, California Chrome.