Songbird Takes Champion Juvenile Filly Honors

Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farms knew he had an exceptional filly in Songbird when he sent her to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer's stable in May 2015, but she exceeded all expectations in going unbeaten during the season and landing the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old filly.



The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro   proved far superior to any of her challengers during the year—no filly finished closer to her than 4 1⁄2 lengths in any of her four races, which she won by a combined 22 lengths. Capping three consecutive grade I wins, she clinched divisional honors with a front-running 5 3⁄4-length tour de force in the 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.



The filly's first grade I win was the Sept. 5 Del Mar Debutante, her second career start after her eye-catching, 6 1⁄2-length debut win at the seaside track July 26. Pressed from the start by previously unbeaten Pretty N Cool in the Debutante, Songbird easily left her behind in the stretch to win the seven-furlong event by 5 1⁄4 lengths as the even-money favorite. Her Chandelier victory next time out at Santa Anita Park was just as easy. The overwhelming favorite in the 1 1⁄16-mile event, she secured her position on the front end and increased her margin to 4 1⁄2 lengths at the wire. She controlled the pace throughout as the 3-5 favorite in the Breeders' Cup and drew off with ease under Mike Smith.



Songbird was bred in Kentucky by California resident John Antonelli. Her dam is the West Acre mare Ivanavinalot, Florida state champion juvenile filly of 2002. Through bloodstock agent Tom McGreevy, Porter paid $400,000 for Songbird at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale.



"She just had everything we're looking for," McGreevy said after the Breeders' Cup. "She fits everything we look for and exceeded a lot of those, especially exceeded them in how she handles her pressure. That is so important with the great horses. They're very confident in everything they do, and she's been like that from the word go."

Voting totals in the juvenile 2-year-old filly division: Songbird 260, Catch a Glimpse 1.