Sing and Tell, Cedillo refuse to lose in Luther Burbank

SANTA ROSA, Calif. – Abel Cedillo completed a sweep of the weekend stakes at the Sonoma County Fair on Sunday when he put Sing and Tell on the lead and was never headed in the $64,800 Luther Burbank Handicap. Cedillo also won Saturday's Wine Country Stakes aboard Amnesia.

Breaking from the rail, Sing and Tell held off the early attempts by Need You Now to get the lead in Sunday’s 1 1/16-mile turf race for older fillies and mares. As the two dueled, favored Halo Dolly was getting a comfortable stalking trip in third and Freedom Reigns, the second choice in the race, sat last in the field of five.

“My filly was relaxing really well,” said Cedillo.

Freedom Reigns, under Frank Alvarado, began moving into contention down the backstretch along the rail as Russell Baze kept Halo Dolly a bit wide. Halo Dolly got first run in the stretch as Need You Now began to tire. Freedom Reigns, forced to wait briefly for space, then made her move outside of Sing and Tell and inside Halo Dolly.

Sing and Tell, who was making her stakes debut, refused to give in and won by three-quarters of a length in 1:43.72. Halo Dolly edged Freedom Reigns by a nose for second. Sing and Tell returned $7.

“She was really fresh, and I think that helped,” said Cedillo, who guided Sing and Tell to her third straight victory and second straight over the millionaire Halo Dolly.

“We have every chance,” Baze said saluting the winner.

Sing and Tell a Daehling Ranch homebred by Alymagic out of Refreshing Song, earned $41,300 for owners Joe Daehling and owner-trainer Holly Evans. She has now earned $238,252 with seven wins in 23 starts.