Songbird to face six in Alabama

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The way Songbird won the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks here four weeks ago, one would have thought the racing office would have had difficulty rounding up horses to face her in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama.

Such was not the case as six 3-year-old fillies – four of whom are graded stakes winners – were entered Wednesday against the champion Songbird, who is undefeated in nine career starts.

Songbird, who will be ridden by Mike Smith, drew post 6 in the Alabama, which will go as race 10 on a 12-race card that begins at 1 p.m. Eastern.

Trainer Dale Romans as much as any trainer subscribes to the “gotta be in it to win it” theory. It was the Romans-trained Keen Ice who upset Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in last year’s Grade 1 Travers. Romans will send out Go Maggie Go against Songbird in the Alabama, run at 1 1/4 miles.

“A year ago proves you can’t duck one horse,” said Romans, adding that Songbird “is obviously a phenomenal filly. Actually, the first time I saw her in the flesh was the other morning when she breezed. She was more impressive to look at and watch move than her form. She’s going to be difficult to beat, but if she stubs her toe, we’re doing good. If not, there’s no shame in running second in a race the quality of the Alabama.”

Go Maggie Go won the Gulfstream Oaks in her second career start, a race that produced Paola Queen, the 55-1 upset winner of the Grade 1 Test, and Off the Tracks, the winner of the Grade 1 Mother Goose. Go Maggie Go also won the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan before running fourth behind Carina Mia in the Grade 1 Acorn.

Go Maggie Go will break from post 4 under Luis Saez.

Dark Nile will bring a four-race winning streak into the Alabama, including a 1 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks on July 9. She is 4 for 4 in races contested around two turns.

“It’s a monumental task,” said Elliott Walden, president and chief executive of WinStar Farm, which owns Dark Nile. “It’s something we’re going in with a realistic view of things, but at the same time, horses do get beat, and horses that are improving like Dark Nile is deserve a chance; that’s why we’re running. Sometimes horses don’t run as well the second [start] shipping west to east; it might be the time to take her on. We don’t have any illusions that we’re going to go in there and beat up on her, that’s for sure.”

Dark Nile drew the rail and will be ridden by Joe Bravo.

Family Tree, the winner of the Iowa Oaks and Indiana Oaks in her last two starts, will step up to Grade 1 company. Trainer Wayne Catalano is hoping to get a piece of the Alabama pie. Florent Geroux rides Family Tree from post 5.

“We all know Songbird’s a very special filly,” said Catalano, who trains Family Tree for Gary and Mary West. “Our filly’s doing good. If we can win it, great. If we can be Grade 1-placed, that’s probably what we’re looking for.”

Flora Dora, third to Songbird in the CCA Oaks, will add blinkers for the Alabama and drew post 7. Weep No More, who pulled off a 30-1 upset in the Grade 1 Ashland, comes off a last-place finish in the CCA Oaks. She drew post 2. Going for Broke, trained by Chad Brown, has won three straight, including a second-level allowance over this track going 1 1/8 miles. She will leave from post 3.