D'Amato could start three vs. Songbird

ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Phil D’Amato is bringing numbers to compete against the undefeated champion Songbird in Saturday’s $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita.

As of Wednesday morning, D’Amato was contemplating starting three fillies in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at 1 1/16 miles – Bellamentary, the winner of the Angels Flight Stakes on May 15; Coppa, unbeaten in two starts; and possibly Sutton’s Smile, who was third in the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos last December.

Sutton’s Smile could be held out of the Summertime Oaks in favor of Sunday’s $200,000 Honeymoon Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Bellamentary was fifth behind Songbird in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks on April 9. Coppa has won her two starts in sprints. The Summertime Oaks will be her stakes debut.

Songbird has not raced since winning the Santa Anita Oaks. She got sick after that race and was unable to start in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 6. Songbird has been in steady training for the last six weeks.

Still, Songbird has not raced in more than two months, and D’Amato thinks the Summertime Oaks may be the time to challenge her.

“After a horse comes back from a sickness, you never know if they’re 100 percent or not,” he said. “I think we’d need a 90 percent Songbird to have a chance to beat her.”

At the same time, D’Amato acknowledges that Songbird may be an exception to any theory. Songbird has not been challenged in her seven races, winning by a combined 36 lengths. She won the Santa Anita Oaks by 3 3/4 lengths without urging in the final furlong by jockey Mike Smith.

“Sometimes a horse will fool you, especially a filly as amazing as she is,” D’Amato said. “I’m hoping she’s not fully cranked.”