Champions Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) and Beholder (Henny Hughes) both worked at Santa Anita Saturday morning in preparation for expected next starts later this month. Fox Hill Farm's undefeated 3-year-old Songbird covered six furlongs in 1:13.40 (5/14), while three-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder breezed seven furlongs in 1:26.20 (2/3).
“It was a very good work,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said of Songbird, who is likely to ship east for a start in Saratoga's GI Coaching Club American Oaks July 24. “She galloped out nicely in 1:26 [for seven furlongs] and out a mile in [one minute and] 39 point ninety [seconds].”
Hollendorfer added that Songbird–recent winner of the GII Summertime Oaks June 18–will leave California for New York July 19. After the Coaching Club Oaks, she will likely compete in the GI Alabama S. at the Spa Aug. 20.
Meanwhile, Spendthrift Farm's Beholder's work was a step towards a tilt in the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. at Del Mar. July 30. The Richard Mandella trainee posted two decisive wins in Arcadia to begin her 2016 season, easily capturing the GIII Adoration S. May 8 and the GI Vanity Mile S. June 4.
“It was just a nice, steady work, nothing fancy,” regular rider Gary Stevens said. “She ships Monday so Richard didn't want anything too fancy. It was good–a typical Beholder work.”
Beholder's connections have previously stated that their year-end goal for the mare is the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Nov. 5.
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