Songbird (horse)

Songbird
Songbird at the 2016 Breeders' Cup Distaff
Sire	Medaglia d'Oro
Grandsire	El Prado
Dam	Ivanavinalot
Damsire	West Acre
Sex	filly
Foaled	April 30, 2013[1]
Country	United States
Colour	Bay
Breeder	John Antonelli
Owner	Fox Hill Farms Inc
Trainer	Jerry Hollendorfer
Record	12: 11-1-0
Earnings	$3,372,000[2]
Major wins
Del Mar Debutante Stakes (2015) Chandelier Stakes (2015) Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (2015) Las Virgenes Stakes (2016) Santa Ysabel Stakes (2016) Santa Anita Oaks (2016) Summertime Oaks (2016) Coaching Club American Oaks (2016) Alabama Stakes (2016) Cotillion Stakes (2016)
Awards
American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly (2015)
Last updated on September 24, 2016

Songbird (foaled April 30, 2013) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. She was the 2015 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly after being undefeated in four starts, including Grade I victories in the Del Mar Debutante Stakes, Chandelier Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She was undefeated against three-year-old fillies in 2016 including the Grade I Santa Anita Oaks, Coaching Club American Oaks, Alabama and Cotillion Stakes. Her 11-race undefeated streak ended in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, where she was second by a scant nose to the 6-year-old champion mare, Beholder.

Background

Songbird is a large^[3] bay filly bred in Kentucky by John Antonelli. She was sired by Medaglia d'Oro, a top-class racehorse whose wins included the Travers Stakes, Whitney Handicap, and Donn Handicap.^[4] As a breeding stallion Medaglia d'Oro is best known as the sire of Rachel Alexandra.^[5] Songbird's dam Ivanavinalot was a successful racemare whose six wins included the Grade II Bonnie Miss Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March 2003.^[6] Ivanavinalot was descended from Flower Bed, the dam of the leading racehorse and broodmare Flower Bowl.^[7] Owner Rick Porter named the filly in honor of the late singer Eva Cassidy.

In August 2014 the yearling filly was consigned to the Fasig-Tipton sale at Saratoga and was bought for $400,000 by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms.^[8] She was sent into training with the veteran Jerry Hollendorfer and was ridden throughout her two- and three-year-old seasons by jockey Mike Smith, who also rode the mare Zenyatta.

Racing career

2015: two-year-old season

Songbird began her racing career in a maiden race over six furlongs at Del Mar Racetrack on July 27. She took an early lead and drew away in the last quarter mile to win by six and a half lengths in front of the favored Tiz A Tommy Town. On September 5 at the same track the filly was moved up sharply in class to contest the Grade I Del Mar Debutante Stakes and started the 11/10 favorite in a ten-runner field. Her main rival in the betting was the Bob Baffert-trained Pretty N Cool who had won the Grade II Sorrento Stakes on her previous start. Songbird took an early lead but was headed by Pretty N Cool after three furlongs. She soon regained the advantage and went clear in the straight to win by five and a quarter lengths with Pretty N Cool holding on for second ahead of Land Over Sea.^[9] Mike Smith commented "For such a big mare, things just come so easy for her. I've been getting on her in the mornings and I'm impressed by just how well she does things. She came right out of that gate today—so smooth."^[3]

Three weeks after her win in the Debutante, Songbird went for another Grade I prize when she started odds-on favorite for the Chandelier Stakes over eight and a half furlongs at Santa Anita Park. Baffert's Jade Princess was the second choice while Land Over Sea appeared the best of the other six entrants. Smith sent Songbird into the lead from the start and the favorite never looked in any danger of defeat, coming home four and a half lengths clear of Land Over Sea.^[10] After the race Smith praised the winner's attitude and temperament saying "Not only does she have the ability but she has the mind to go with it... She's so intelligent, she's so smart and listens to everything I tell her".^[11]

Songbird ventured out of California for the first time when she was made 3/5 favorite for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on October 31. Her most serious opponents appeared to be Rachel's Valentina (winner of the Spinaway Stakes and the second foal of Rachel Alexandra), Tap To It (runner-up in the Spinaway), Land Over Sea and Nickname (Frizette Stakes), with the other five fillies starting at 26/1 or longer. Drawn on the extreme outside of the field, Songbird broke quickly and went straight into the lead. Rachel's Valentina raced in second without ever threatening the favorite and Songbird extended her advantage in the straight to win by five and three-quarter lengths. The Ken McPeek-trained longshot Dothraki Queen stayed on to take third ahead of Nickname.^[12] Smith, who was winning a record 22nd Breeders' Cup race, said "Once we jumped out the gate, it was just a matter of me staying on... I almost felt like yawning as we went along. I don't mean that in a bragging way. She just gives me that much confidence."^[13]

At the Eclipse Award ceremony on January 16, 2016, Songbird was awarded the title of American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly having received 260 of the 261 votes.^[14] In the Experimental Free Handicap (a ranking of the best American two-year-olds), published at the end of January, Songbird was assigned 125 pounds, one pound behind the colt Nyquist and five pounds clear of the next best fillies Catch A Glimpse (Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Rachel's Valentina. Her rating was the highest given to a juvenile filly in eighteen years.^[15]

2016: three-year-old season

Songbird began her 2016 in the Grade II Las Virgenes Stakes over one mile at Santa Anita on February 6. Starting at odds of 1/20, she took the lead as usual, went ten lengths clear on the final turn and won easing down by six lengths from Land Over Sea. After the race Rick Porter played down the speculation that the filly might run in the Kentucky Derby, saying that a run in the Kentucky Oaks would be the "smart move". He also pointed out that the Songbird would have to run against colts in the Santa Anita Derby in order to accrue the points needed to qualify for the Derby field.^[16] A month later the filly was stepped up slightly in trip for the Grade III Santa Ysabel Stakes over eight and a half furlongs at the same track. She was challenged in the early stages by Jade Princess and Not Now Carolyn but drew away from her rivals on the backstretch and was six lengths clear entering the straight. As in her previous start she was eased by Smith in the closing stages and won by three and three quarter lengths at odds of 1/9. On April 9 the filly started at long odds-on for the Santa Anita Oaks and recorded another easy victory, coping easily with the sloppy track and coming home three and three quarter lengths clear of Mokat.

On April 17, it was announced that the filly was suffering from a fever and would miss the Kentucky Oaks. Hollendorfer explained "She showed up with a temperature one morning and we got on it right away. It never got to be a high temperature and we think she's going to be fine, but we don't want her to train right now, so that's why we'll miss the Oaks."^[17]

On June 18, Songbird returned to the track in the Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita as the 1-20 favorite. For the first time, she tracked the early pace set by Bellamentary, then moved alongside down the backstretch and gradually pulled away, winning by  6 ¹⁄₂ lengths. “It scares me to think of how good she is," said Smith. "I try not to think of it."^[18]

On July 24, Songbird travelled to Saratoga in upstate New York for the Coaching Club American Oaks, which because of her presence had the purse boosted from $300,000 to $500,000. She faced a small but strong field, featuring Carina Mia, winner of the Acorn Stakes, and Weep No More, winner of the Ashland Stakes.^[19] Songbird went to the early lead, with Carina Mia pressing the pace from the outside. On the far turn, Carina Mia made a run at Songbird and closed to within a neck before Songbird again pulled away, eventually winning by over five lengths. "I asked her more than I've ever had to," said Smith, who whipped Songbird three times early in the stretch. "I take my hat off to Carina Mia. She made her run a little bit."^[20]

Beholder and Songbird in the stretch run of the Distaff

On August 20, Songbird entered the  1 ¹⁄₄-mile Alabama Stakes, where she was challenged for the early lead by Go Maggie Go. The two fillies raced side by side for the first six furlongs, then Songbird pulled ahead on the far turn and won by a comfortable seven lengths.^[21] She returned to California then shipped to Parx Racing in Pennsylvania in contest the $1 million Cotillion Stakes on September 24. As the 1-5 favorite, Songbird rated behind Carina Mia for the first  ³⁄₄ then moved to the lead at the head of the stretch, winning by  5 ³⁄₄ lengths. "She was so happy—so calm and cool. She drew away ... She was having fun today", said Smith. "She does things so easily and I'm so blessed to be a part of her."^[22]

On November 4, Songbird was the odds-on favorite in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita. In her first race against older horses, she faced a strong field that included Stellar WInd, the previous year's American Champion three-year-old filly, and the three-time American champion filly or mare and 2013 Distaff winner, Beholder. From the inside post position of the eight-horse field, Songbird took an early lead tracked until challenged by Beholder on the final turn. The pair engaged in a prolonged struggle in the straight before Beholder prevailed by a scant nose in a photo-finish. Stevens described the race by saying, "I've been in battles before, but never the length of the stretch . . . definitely a quarter of a mile of just a street fight."^[23] Of the near-dead heat between the two horses, decided by an inch, Smith stated, "It's just too bad someone had to lose," adding, "my filly ran incredible. I'm so proud of her."^[24]

Race Record

Average margin: 5 ½ lengths

Pedigree

References