Songbird back on the work tab

DEL MAR, Calif. – On Wednesday at Del Mar, Songbird had her first workout since winning the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 20. Songbird worked a half-mile in 47.60 seconds and was ready for action, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

“When she has a few days off after her races, she wants to go,” Hollendorfer said. “Not overwhelmingly so, but she wants to train.

“She does things easily and galloped out the last quarter in 23.99 seconds. If I were a clocker, I’d give her breezing.”

Officially, Songbird’s effort in the workout was described as “handily” by Del Mar clockers. Songbird is to work at Del Mar next week and at Santa Anita through mid-September before her next scheduled start in the $1 million Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing in Pennsylvania on Sept. 24.

Owned by Rick Porter, the undefeated Songbird has won 10 races, including six Grade 1 races. Songbird missed the Kentucky Oaks in May because of an illness and has won three times this summer. She won the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita in June by 6 1/2 lengths and swept the two Grade 1 route races for 3-year-old fillies on dirt at Saratoga, winning the Coaching Club American Oaks by 5 1/4 lengths on July 24 and the Alabama Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths.

Songbird’s main goal this fall is the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Nov. 4, which will be her debut against older fillies and mares. The race could feature three champions from 2015 – Songbird, the champion 2-year-old filly; Stellar Wind, champion 3-year-old filly; and Beholder, the outstanding older female.