Songbird breezes for CCA Oaks, Carina Mia confirmed to tackle champion

Edited Press Release

Undefeated champion Songbird breezed six furlongs over Santa Anita Park’s fast main track Saturday morning in 1:13.40 with exercise rider Edgar Rodriguez aboard.

The Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Medaglia d’Oro filly, who is campaigned by Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms, is readying for an East Coast jaunt that is expected to lead back to Santa Anita on November 4 for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).

“It was a very good work,” Hollendorfer said. “She galloped out nicely in 1:26 (for seven furlongs) and out a mile in (1:)39 point ninety.”

Songbird is scheduled to run in the $300,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga followed by the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) sending sophomore fillies 10 furlongs on August 20.

While the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1) going 1 1/16 miles at Parx Racing on September 24 has been mentioned as the finale on Songbird’s Eastern junket, Hollendorfer allowed as to how that was not written in stone.

“We’ll see what happens after those (first) two races,” the Hall of Fame trainer said. “But we could possibly do that. She will leave Santa Anita on the 19th (of July) and she will not work at Saratoga.”

Last-out Acorn Stakes (G1) heroine Carina Mia is confirmed to take on Songbird in the CCA Oaks, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said following the filly's latest workout this weekend.

"She's doing well," Mott stated. "She raced well and came out of her race last time good, so we plan on going to the Coaching Club American Oaks with her."

The Malibu Moon filly, owned by Three Chimneys Farm, breezed a half-mile over Saratoga's fast Oklahoma training track Friday morning, covering the distance in :48.99, the third fastest of 38.

Carina Mia has won four of her six career starts, including a pair of Churchill Downs Grade 2s in the Golden Rod Stakes going 1 1/16 sloppy miles last fall and the seven-furlong Eight Belles Stakes on May 6.

Songbird photo courtesy of Cecilia Gustavsson/Horsephotos.com