Songbird settling in for Cotillion

BENSALEM, Pa. – Songbird arrived at Parx Racing from Southern California on Monday, and after jogging Tuesday she galloped 1 1/2 miles over the track shortly after 6:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. Track management has reserved a 30-minute window for horses entered in Saturday’s four stakes to train, and Cotillion entrants Songbird and Cathryn Sophia were out at that time.

“She shipped great,” said Christina Jelm, who is overseeing Songbird’s training before trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s arrival, which was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. “She settled right in, and the traveling doesn’t take anything out of her.”

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Jelm was with Songbird for the month she spent in Saratoga, where she won the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama. Jelm said Songbird looks the same to her as when she last saw her Aug. 22, the morning she left New York to return to Southern California.

“She’s maintained everything since I last saw her,” Jelm said.

In a reference to Hollendorfer’s Southern California assistant, she said: “Dan Ward has done a wonderful job and of course Jerry, he’s on top of everything. I really believe she’s continuing to improve.”