Songbird's Chandelier earnings should pay her way into Breeders' Cup

ARCADIA, Calif. - Two smacks from the whip from jockey Mike Smith in early stretch was all Songbird needed for an easy win in Saturday’s $300,000 Chandelier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.

The win gave Songbird an automatic berth for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on Oct. 31, provided she is supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup program for $100,000 in October. Songbird is not currently nominated for the Breeders’ Cup, resulting in the need for the six-figure nomination fee.

The money was earned in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes, her first start around two turns.

Smith had Songbird in front throughout and said the filly was running so easily that she was nearly too comfortable in early stretch.

“She kind of relaxed too much,” Smith said. “I thought, this job ain’t over yet.”

It was then Smith popped Songbird with his whip twice, in a span of several strides, to maintain an advantage.

“She jumped back into the bridle,” Smith said.

Songbird ($2.40) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.79, finishing 4 1/2 lengths in front of a stubborn Land Over Sea, a 9-1 shot. Songbird took the lead shortly after the start, and set early fractions of 23.14 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, and 46.85 for a half-mile. She led by two lengths on the backstretch and by 2 1/2 lengths in the stretch before pulling away.

The runner-up finish by Land Over Sea was about as much as trainer Doug O’Neill expected.

“Songbird is a brilliant filly,” he said. “She has speed and stamina. We got beat by a good filly. We tried to make a race of it.”

Songbird and Land Over Sea were first and third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs on Sept. 5.

Right There, a 24-1 shot who was last of eight early, closed well to finish third.

“She had to make a seven-eighths run after the start,” jockey Kent Desormeaux said. “She still learning.”

Vieja Luna finished fourth, followed by Jade Princess, Halo Darlin, Sheeza Milky Way, and Yodelsong.

Songbird races for Fox Hill Farms and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. By Medaglia d’Oro, Songbird is unbeaten in three starts, including a maiden race at Del Mar in July. She was purchased for $400,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale.

Songbird has earned $402,000 and left Smith eager for the BC Juvenile Fillies.

“I think this race will make her better,” he said.

Singing Kitty triumphs in Unzip Me

Singing Kitty won her third stakes of the year in the $86,170 Unzip Me Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Singing Kitty ($21.40) closed from fifth in a field of eight to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Spirit of Xian, a 7-1 shot. Curlin’s Fox, the 4-5 favorite, was as far back as seventh early and closed to finish third, 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner.

Singing Kitty ran about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:13.34.

Trained by Matt Chew for Chris Aulds and Peter Jeong, Singing Kitty has won 5 of 12 starts and earned $320,988. A California-bred by Ministers Wild Cat, Singing Kitty won the California Cup Oaks and China Doll Stakes on this turf course earlier this year.