Songbird looks good in final major work before Cotillion Stakes
Unbeaten champion Songbird makes even her workouts look easy.
For the third consecutive time this month, Songbird worked so effortlessly at Santa Anita on Sunday that clockers described her exercise as “breezing,” a rarely used description in Southern California. Most workouts are rated “handily,” to reflect a more significant effort.
Songbird breezed a half-mile in 47.60 seconds, her final major exercise before her 11th start in Saturday’s $1 million Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing in Pennsylvania. Exercise rider Edgar Rodriguez rode Songbird in the workout.
“She looked really nice and smooth,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “She’s been training really good, all along.”
Owned by Rick Porter, Songbird was brilliant at Santa Anita in the winter and spring, winning four stakes, and at Saratoga in the summer, winning two Grade 1 races – the Coaching Club American Oaks in July and the Alabama Stakes on Aug. 20.
The champion 2-year-old filly of 2015, Songbird has won 10 races and has earned $2,762,000. The filly will be a heavy favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion Stakes, which is designed as her final prep before the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff against older fillies and mares at Santa Anita on Nov. 4. Songbird has yet to race against older fillies and mares.