Forever Unbridled captures G1 Personal Ensign over champion Songbird

by Lynne Snierson

Employing her familiar and powerful come-from-behind running style, Forever Unbridled stormed down the lane to upset the heavily favored multiple champion Songbird in the Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign at Saratoga Race Course on Travers Day at Saratoga Race Course Saturday. 

The Personal Ensign is a qualifying race for the Grade 1, $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar on November 3, although the Dallas Stewart trainee had already secured her spot in the starting gate with her victory in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs in her only other 2017 start.

Dispatched at 2-1 in the field of four fillies and mares, Charles Fipke's Forever Unbridled stumbled out of the gate and brushed into its side and lagged at the back as 2-5 favorite Songbird broke like a rocket and surged to the front to open up a comfortable lead as she set honest splits of 24.14 and 47.91 seconds and 1:12.29. As the field rounded the far turn and with Songbird in her rhythm under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, Forever Unbridled began to uncork her move while being confidently ridden by Joel Rosario.

Forever Unbridled easily dispensed with Going for Broke and Eskenformoney, but Songbird was another matter. Rosario moved Forever Unbridled out to the center of the track and she increasingly cut into the margin of Songbird, who was digging in deep along the rail. The 4-year-old Songbird tried to fend off the fast-closing Forever Unbridled, but the 5-year-old daughter of Unbridled's Song was too tough and overtook her in the final strides at the wire to prevail by a neck in 1:49.16 for the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track.

"You knew [Songbird on the lead] was going to happen; you just had to go find her at the quarter pole. I just let Rosario do his thing. I was hoping she'd get there, but you never know when you're trying to run down a champion. She kept coming back on and coming back on [after Songbird in the stretch]. It wasn't easy, but she did it. I don't think he ever hit her because she hates the whip. It's not easy to win a race like this against a champion," Stewart said.

"For a second there I went by Songbird and she came back on the inside just kind of keeping us together," Rosario said. "Then the last sixteenth she finished strong. I decided to stay away from Songbird [in the stretch] because I was moving very well today, so I stayed away a little bit and let her run. She's a galloper. You've just got to figure out the way she likes to run. She went out there and I just let her be happy and whenever she wants to run, I let her run. She was impressive today."

Songbird, an Eclipse Award winner at 2 and 3 who came into the race with a record of 13 wins in 14 starts, will likely match up again with Forever Unbridled in the Breeders' Cup. In the 2016 edition of the race, Songbird lost by a nose to Beholder and Forever Unbridled was third. 

"She ran alright.  She got beat by a good horse and we came up a neck short. We'll probably go back to California and try to prepare for the Breeders' Cup back there," said disappointed Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. 

Smith explained, "He was doing a great job of staying away from me which is a great deal on his part. It felt like I was going to have to go a long way out there going left-handed to get to him, and sometimes you lose a neck, half a length doing that. I didn't know if I could do that. I wish they would have come right next to me because I think she would have picked it up [and] maybe held them off. In saying that, I ran my race. When I asked her heading for home, she accelerated. She's not supposed to get run down, and he ran me down."

Forever Unbridled will remain in New York and try for a repeat score in the Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame September 30 at Belmont Park, according to Stewart.

"It's the most logical choice for her next race, especially since she won it last year," he said.

Forvever Unbridled, who surpassed the $2 million mark in earnings with the win, has now won seven of 15 starts. The Charles Fipke homebred is out of Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Lemons Forever, whom Stewart also trained. 

"I don't think there's a stronger family in the world," he said. "Her full sister [Unbridled Forever] won a Grade 1 here, the Ballerina, [in 2015]. It's very special. How about that? Mr. Fipke has put it together and deserves the credit." 

Eskenformoney finished third, with Going for Broke fourth. Flora Dora was scratched earlier in the day when she spiked a fever.