Songbird at The Spa Photo

Champion Songbird arrives at Spa for G1 Coaching Club American Oaks

by NYRA Press Office

Undefeated champion Songbird arrived at Saratoga Race Course Wednesday evening shortly before 8 p.m. in advance of her upcoming engagement in Sunday's Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks.

The reigning Juvenile Filly champion, Songbird alighted at at 6:19 p.m. at Albany International Airport following a flight from California that stopped in Denver and Lexington, Ky., and after stepping off a horse van, posed briefly for photographers before being settled in to her new stall.

Christina Jelm, who is assisting California-based Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer at the Spa, said Thursday plans for Songbird would be determined in the morning, and added that she would school in the paddock between races on Friday.

"She's had a long day, we'd like to get her settled in before Jerry decides on what to do in the morning," said Jelm of the Medaglia d'Oro filly, who is putting her 8-for-8 streak on the line in the 1 1/8-mile Coaching Club American Oaks, the purse of which has been raised from $300,000 contingent upon her starting. "She looks great."

Hollendorfer is slated to arrive Thursday.

Owned by Fox Hill Farms, Songbird broke her maiden with ease last July at Del Mar and went on to post three more dominating victories last year, all against Grade 1 company and capped off with a 5 ¾-length score in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, en route to earning the Eclipse Award for Champion Juvenile Filly.

As a 3-year-old, the sleek bay filly has matched the perfect 4-for-4 record of her juvenile year with a quartet of victories at Santa Anita Park, including the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks in April and, most recently, a 6 ½-length romp in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks.

Confirmed to take on the Songbird in the 100th running of the prestigious Coaching Club American Oaks are Grade 1 winners Carina Mia and Weep No More. A six-length victor of the Grade 2 Eight Belles on May 6 at Churchill Downs, Three Chimneys Farm's Carina Mia returned on the Belmont Stakes undercard with a gutsy off-the-pace bid to win the Grade 1 Acorn for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

Also eyeing the Oaks are Mo d'Amour, Paola Queen, and Go for Broke.