Songbird breezes, California Chrome arrives at Santa Anita for San Pasqual

Edited News Release

Unbeaten Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner Songbird, who will be named champion 2-year-old filly at the January 16 Eclipse Award ceremonies, worked four furlongs Friday in :47.20 at Santa Anita with regular rider Mike Smith. The Medaglia d’Oro recorded her second workout in advance of her seasonal debut, the one-mile Las Virgenes (G2) on February 6.

“I’m very happy with where she is at this point,” Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “The Las Virgenes is the race we’re pointing to. She’s an absolute professional.”

The link to Songbird’s work: https://youtu.be/1wT8TXZGiPM

California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year, arrived at Santa Anita before sunrise Friday morning at 6:15 a.m. (PST) to prepare in earnest for his first race in more than nine months, the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes (G2) on January 9.

The 5-year-old son of Lucky Pulpit had an uneventful “45 or 50-minute” van trip from his Los Alamitos headquarters in Cypress, California and galloped a mile-and-a-half over the main track at 9 a.m.

Unraced since a runner-up in the Dubai World Cup (G1) in late march, California Chrome is scheduled to work six furlongs on Saturday around noon, before the first race at 12:30 p.m.

Regular rider Victor Espinoza will be up for the workout.

“The horse looks great,” said Alan Sherman, assistant to his father, Art. “It’s exciting to have him back. He compiled a lot of frequent flier mileage over the last nine months although he didn’t race, but he did win $2 million in Dubai, so that was good.”

In 18 career starts, California Chrome has won nine races, finishing second three times and third once, and earned $6,322,650. A successful venture in the San Pasqual is expected to lead to a return trip to Dubai for this year’s World Cup on March 26.

Songbird photo courtesy of Coady Photography