“TDN Rising Star” Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) took her perfect record to eight-for-eight with a sensational return in the GII Summertime Oaks Saturday evening. Removed from GI Kentucky Oaks consideration after spiking a fever that caused her to miss training shortly after her victory in the Apr. 9 GI Santa Anita Oaks, the Eclipse winner proved no worse for wear in her first work back May 22 and put in three more solid breezes in preparation for this test. Away well as always, the 1-9 chalk sat second for the first time in her career, allowing the equally sharp-breaking Bellamentary (Bellamy Road) to dictate terms through swift early fractions of :22.97 and :45.95. Songbird had the pacesetter whenever she wanted her and easily took control from that rival on the backstretch, skipping clear by several lengths by the time she reached the quarter-pole. With Mike Smith motionless in the irons, the bay cruised clear in the lane in what was the equivalent of a morning gallop to win by 6 1/2 lengths over the game Bellamentary.
“I knew she was going to fire today,” Hall of Fame pilot Mike Smith commented. “I just tried to stay out of her way. She has wings on her hooves, I swear. She just goes into stealth mode. It scares me to think of how good she is, I try not to think of it.”
“It was beautiful the way she just settled in,” said trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who was celebrating his 70th birthday. “I was very happy with the way she looked going down the backside. She was very comfortable, with her ears up, looking for something. The opportunity presented itself to be just a little off the pace and now we've shown everyone that we can do that.”
As for her next start, the Hall of Famer said, “I don't know about the [GI Betfair.com] Haskell [July 31]. Mr. [Rick] Porter likes having input on these things, so we'll talk it over and make a plan, see what happens. I wouldn't think we'd go to the Haskell, but there are plenty of races for her and we've talked about several of them. I think we'll stick with the girls for now and see what happens. I'm thrilled, really.”
Named champion juvenile filly after a perfect four-for-four season with three Grade I wins, including the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Songbird kicked off this term with a jaw-dropping victory in the GII Las Virgenes S. Feb. 6 and won the Mar. 5 GIII Santa Ysabel S. with equal ease over Land Over Sea (Bellamy Road), who went on to romp in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks and was second in the GI Kentucky Oaks. Running over a muddy surface for the first time in her career next out in the GI Santa Anita Oaks Apr. 9, the dark bay showed surface condition did not matter, putting in what was the equivalent of a paid workout with another effortless victory.
Songbird's dam Ivanavinalot, winner of the 2003 GII Bonnie Miss S., also has a yearling filly by Ghostzapper and produced a Tapizar filly Apr. 16.
Saturday, Santa Anita Park
SUMMERTIME OAKS-GII, $200,000, SA, 6-18, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:42.63, ft.
1–SONGBIRD, 124, f, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Ivanavinalot (GSW, $647,300), by West Acre
2nd Dam: Beaty Sark, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Torsion Belle, by Torsion
'TDN Rising Star' ($400,000 Ylg '14 FTSAUG). O-Fox Hill Farms,
Inc.; B-John Antonelli (KY); T-Jerry Hollendorfer; J-Mike E.
Smith. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 8-8-0-0, $2,102,000. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating:
A+++. *Triple Plus*.[bullet ad=”lynwood-stable-graduate”][bullet ad=”hillndale-consigned”]2–Bellamentary, 120, f, 3, Bellamy Road–Shananies Song, by
Eltish. ($175,000 2yo '15 OBSAPR). O-Little Red Feather Racing
& R/M Racing; B-Charles T. Matses (KY); T-Philip D'Amato.
$40,000.[bullet ad=”foaled-and-raised-at-sheltowee-farm”]3–Kay Kay, 120, f, 3, Pleasantly Perfect–All of Her Twist, by
Forest Wildcat. ($75,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Holly & David
Wilson; B-K & G Stables (KY); T-Vladimir Cerin. $24,000.[bullet ad=”lanes-end-sales-grad”]Margins: 6HF, NO, 3 3/4. Odds: 0.05, 7.30, 31.90.
Also Ran: That's a Lady, Sutton's Smile. Scratched: Not Now Carolyn, Coppa.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
