Songbird Set for Summertime Oaks

After a positive seven-furlong workout from undefeated Songbird June 11 at Santa Anita Park, Rick Porter said the champion filly is ready to make her return to racing June 18 in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks (gr. II).

 "We're as locked in as you can get a week out," the Fox Hill Farms owner said.

Working in company, with two Jerry Hollendorfer stablemates about five lengths ahead of her at the start, Songbird ran seven furlongs in 1:25 4/5 Saturday morning.

In anticipation of potential challenges ahead, where the Medaglia d'Oro filly may have to alter her front-running style, Porter said the plan was to get her to rate and surge between the two workmates in the stretch and she obliged, finishing with a positive gallop out.

"We wanted to make sure she could wait," Porter said. "She did it all on her own. She stayed about three lengths behind them, got asked at the quarter pole, and split the horses. (Hollendorfer) wanted to get that in her, not so much for this race, but for the future."

Hollendorfer also moved up Songbird's work a day, according to Porter.

"Everybody was expecting her to work tomorrow, but Jerry said, 'I'm going to surprise everybody and work her at the crack of dawn Saturday,'" Porter said.

The Summertime Oaks, a 1 1/16-mile dirt test, will be the filly's first start since a low-grade fever knocked her out of consideration for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).

BALAN: Songbird Out of Kentucky Oaks

Undefeated in seven starts, Songbird has won six straight graded stakes, including four grade I events.