Songbird outduels previously unbeaten Pretty N Cool in Debutante

DEL MAR, Calif. - Songbird left trainer Jerry Hollendorfer thinking about top races in other parts of the United States after her authoritative win in Saturday’s $301,250 Del Mar Debutante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.

In her stakes debut, Songbird ($4.20) had an ideal trip in the Grade 1 Debutante to win by 5 1/4 lengths over the stakes winner Pretty N Cool. Songbird ran seven furlongs in 1:22.65.

She will leave Del Mar for Santa Anita next week as the leader of a division that will begin running in lucrative two-turn races later this month, leading to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

That race was in the back of Hollendorfer’s mind as he assessed Songbird’s win.

“You want to see them win like that,” Hollendorfer said. “I think she has a big future. You always hope they’ll be that good.”

Ridden by Mike Smith, Songbird broke from the outside in a field of 10 and was quickly disputing the pace with Pretty N Cool. They dueled through early fractions of 22.33 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, and 44.84 seconds for a half-mile.

Songbird raced outside of Pretty N Cool throughout and took the lead in early stretch. She held a half-length advantage with a furlong to go and won comfortably over the previously unbeaten Pretty N Cool, who won the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes for trainer Bob Baffert on Aug. 12.

“She had a good post, got away and challenged Bob’s horse,” Hollendorfer said.

Pretty N Cool finished three-quarters of a length in front of 29-1 Land Over Sea, who was followed by Right There, Stays in Vegas, One True Kiss, Surfside Tiara, Mitzi Winks, My Dynamo, and Come to Mischief.

Pretty N Cool was ridden by Martin Garcia, who said his mount felt the effects of the speed duel.

“I think she got a little tired,” Garcia said. “I was inside. The horse outside had an advantage.”

Songbird, by Medgalia d’Oro, races for Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms. She was purchased for $400,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale in August 2014, and has earned $212,000 from her two wins.

Songbird is out of Ivanavinalot, a mare by West Acre, who was a multiple stakes winner. She won 6 of 18 starts and earned $647,300, including the 2003 Bonnie Miss Stakes at Gulfstream Park.