Champions Songbird, Finest City put in works

ARCADIA, Calif. – Songbird, the two-time champion filly, is likely to have her first start of 2017 in early June, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said on Saturday.

Songbird worked a half-mile in 48.80 seconds at Santa Anita on Saturday. Afterward, Hollendorfer said two Grade 1 races for fillies and mares are being considered – the $400,000 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on June 3 or the $750,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park on June 10. The Beholder Mile was previously known as the Vanity Mile.

Songbird has not raced since finishing second by a nose to Beholder in an epic running of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff here last November. Owned by Rick Porter, Songbird has won 11 of 12 starts and earned $3,712,000.

Songbird was the champion 2-year-old filly of 2015 and champion 3-year-old filly of 2016.

Finest City, the champion female sprinter of 2016, blazed a half-mile in 45.60 seconds on Saturday and is likely to start in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff for fillies and mares at seven furlongs at Churchill Downs on May 6.

Finest City won the BC Filly and Mare Sprint here last November. She was second to Vale Dori in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational at 1 1/8 miles on March 18 in her most recent start.

“We have sprinting on [the] mind,” trainer Ian Kruljac wrote in a text message. He said Finest City “moved like a dream” in the workout.

Denman’s Call, the winner of the Grade 1 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs on March 11, worked six furlongs in 1:13.20. Trained by Doug O’Neill, Denman’s Call is expected to start in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes at seven furlongs on May 6.

Three recent stakes-winning 3-year-old fillies had workouts – Mopotism, Sircat Sally, and Union Strike.

Mopotism, who won the Island Fashion Stakes at Sunland Park in February, worked a mile in 1:42.80. She was fourth in the Santa Anita Oaks on April 8 and is a candidate for the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 5.

Sircat Sally, unbeaten in five starts, worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 for Hollendorfer. Sircat Sally won the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes on turf April 8 and will stay on the surface for the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita on May 6, Hollendorfer said.

Union Strike, who won the Santa Paula Stakes on April 9 in her first start of the year, worked a half-mile in 48.20 seconds on the training track. She is expected to start in the Grade 2 Eight Belles Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs on May 5.

Owned and trained by Mick Ruis, Union Strike won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante last September.

Abel Tasman, second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks on April 9, worked seven furlongs in 1:25.20. She is trainer Bob Baffert's hope for the Kentucky Oaks.