Songbird Dominates Santa Ysabel

Add another memorable win to the list for undefeated Songbird.



Like seemingly every start before, the Medaglia d'Oro   filly shot to the lead March 5 at Santa Anita Park and humbled a field of overmatched fillies in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III).



And as was the case multiple times before, Land Over Sea went all out to pick up second—but never got within striking distance of Fox Hill Farms' Songbird, who was geared down in the stretch under Mike Smith to win by 3 3/4 lengths.



Without any asking at all, Songbird cruised to the wire in 1:43.02 for 1 1/16 miles, but she got challenged early. Both Jade Princess (who finished fourth) and Not Now Carolyn (who came in last in the field of nine) tried to press the pace in the first turn, before Songbird relaxed into an easy gallop in the backstretch. She ran through six furlongs with fractions of :23.20, :46.02, and 1:09.98, held a 3 1/2-length advantage at that point, and galloped to a mile in 1:36.09, with a six-length lead in the stretch as the field strained behind her.

"I could have let someone go to the lead today, but I didn't, because it was there and it was that easy for her," Smith said. "But if someone was that (intent) on it, they'll have to definitely run to be able to do it. She'll let them do it, but they'll have to throw some numbers up there."



Off as the commanding 1-9 favorite, the winner paid $2.10 to win, place, and show. With $823,407 of the $886,151 show pool wagered on Songbird, the wagering entities that took the bet lost $158,462. Land Over Sea delivered $3.80 and $2.60, while Mokat, who closed from seventh, paid $5.40 to show.

"We just keep doing our job and hope she keeps doing her job and we might end up in some good places with her," winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. "We've already been to good places with her but we could get to more."



The margin of victory was actually the shortest of Songbird's six-race career. She won the Las Virgenes (gr. II) last time out by 6 1/2 lengths, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) by 5 3/4, the Chandelier (gr. I) by 4 1/2, the Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) by 5 1/4, and her maiden special weight debut at Del Mar by 6 1/2.

Pageant Material came in an even fifth, followed by Merirosvo, Code Warrior, My Dynamo, and Not Now Carolyn, to complete the order of finsh. 

Now unbeaten in six starts, the last five graded events, Songbird has more than $1.7 million in earnings. She'll likely end up in the April 9 Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) next, her last prep toward a start in the May 6 Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.

"It's such a fantastic feeling when you get a horse like this," said Rick Porter, owner of Fox Hill Farms. "I've had some good ones, but I'm not sure I've ever had one this good."