Songbird among Calif.-based Breeders' Cup workers

ARCADIA, Calif. – The standout 2-year-old in California this year has been Songbird, the unbeaten winner of Grade 1 races for fillies at Del Mar and Santa Anita in September.

While the California-based colt Nyquist is unbeaten in four starts, including three stakes wins, one of his rivals, Swipe, at least finished within three-quarters of a length of him in the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes on Sept. 26.

Songbird has won three races by a combined 16 1/4 lengths, with her win in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes at 1 1/16 miles by 4 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita on Sept. 26 the smallest margin of victory.

Songbird will be favored in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on Oct. 31. On Saturday, she worked a half-mile in 47.40 seconds, her final major exercise before the race.

“You couldn’t ask for better,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

Songbird worked alone under jockey Mike Smith, her regular rider. Had she worked with a stablemate, Hollendorfer believes she would have been patient.

“If we worked her in company, I think she could rate,” he said.

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As brilliant as Songbird has been, Hollendorfer acknowledges that Songbird faces her toughest test at Keeneland.

“We’ve got to ship back there and face the best fillies in the country,” Hollendorfer said. “You have to respect that.”

As quick as Songbird worked, Wild Dude was much slower. A candidate for the BC Sprint, Wild Dude worked five furlongs in 1:03.20. The time was not a surprise to Hollendorfer, who said the four-time stakes winner is more of “an afternoon glory.”

“For him, that’s a good work,” he said.

Wild Dude won the Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 3. In the BC Sprint, he will face two other California-based runners who worked on Saturday – Big Macher, who was ninth in the BC Sprint last year, and Kobe’s Back, who was second in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship.

Big Macher won the Pirate’s Bounty Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 7. On Saturday, Big Macher worked five furlongs in 1:01.60. Trainer Richard Baltas timed Big Macher galloping out seven furlongs in 1:27. A 5-year-old gelding, Big Macher worked in company.

“They started out a little slow, but they picked it up,” Baltas said.

Kobe’s Back worked alone under jockey Gary Stevens, running a half-mile in 47 seconds. Trainer Peter Eurton timed Kobe’s Back in 47.17 seconds, with a last quarter-mile in approximately 23.40 seconds.

“I wanted to keep it short and keep it sharp,” he said.

Kobe’s Back is a closer who needs a quick pace in the BC Sprint to have any chance.

“I’m not asking for too much, am I?” Eurton said.

Taris will start in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint off a quick five-furlong workout in 59 seconds on Saturday, the fastest of 84 works at the distance. Taris won the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar on Aug. 16 but was third after engaging in a speed duel in the Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes here Oct. 4.

Trainer Simon Callaghan said Taris worked “a touch quicker” than expected. “It looked easy and in hand. She was very smooth,” he said.

Callaghan will start the longshot Mirage in Friday’s BC Juvenile Fillies Turf. Mirage was second in the Surfer Girl Stakes on turf Oct. 10. She worked a half-mile in 47.60 seconds on Saturday.

No Silent, who will be a longshot in the BC Turf Sprint, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20. Trainer Gary Mandella timed No Silent in 1:01.60.

“He looked really good,” Mandella said. “He doesn’t have pretty action on the dirt. Ever since I brought him back from Del Mar [in September], he’s handled the surface well.”

No Silent won the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes on the hillside turf course Oct. 3 for his first stakes win in his 23rd start.

Trainer Keith Desormeaux worked his two hopes for 2-year-old main-track races on Saturday. Swipe, second to Nyquist in three consecutive stakes, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20. Right There, third to Songbird in the Chandelier, worked five furlongs in 1:03.

Forever Darling, a maiden-race winner Sept. 26, will have her stakes debut in the BC Juvenile Fillies for Baltas. She worked six furlongs in 1:14.40 on Saturday.