Songbird Works at Del Mar, Cotillion Next
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Songbird and jockey Mike Smith after her win in the Alabama Stakes (gr. I)
Fox Hill Farms' undefeated champion Songbird, now settled back in at her home base in Southern California following a pair of grade I wins at Saratoga Race Course, put in her first workout Aug. 31 in preparation for the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (gr. I).
The Medaglia d'Oro filly trained by Jerry Hollendorfer covered a half-mile in :47 3/5 at Del Mar, the fourth fastest time of 34 works at the distance Wednesday.
"She had a really nice work this morning," Hollendorfer said of the six-time grade I winner, who returned from New York following scores in the July 24 Coaching Club American Oaks and Aug. 20 Alabama Stakes. "Nice and easy and smooth, as usual. Very convincing. I don't know what the clockers gave her, but she was just breezing and galloped out well."
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Songbird, the 2015 champion 2-year-old filly now unbeaten in 10 starts at four different racetracks in three states, will take her talents to Pennsylvania for the first time for the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion at Parx Racing. Beyond that will likely be the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I), where she may encounter fellow champions Beholder and Stellar Wind, but Hollendorfer emphasized patience in her plans following the Cotillion.
"We'll take it one race at a time," Hollendorfer said. "We'll think about the Breeders' Cup after."