Songbird heading back to Spa for Personal Ensign

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Songbird, who won two Grade 1 races here last summer as part of her championship campaign, will return to Saratoga for her next start, the Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign on Aug. 26, her owner, Rick Porter, said Sunday.

“I think it was always on the top of our list,” Porter told Daily Racing Form on Sunday. “She likes Saratoga. I love Saratoga. I can get to the race. I think it’s the best race for her.”

Last summer, Songbird, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, won the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks and the Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga as part of her 7-for-8 campaign for which she was honored with the Eclipse Award as the champion 3-year-old filly. Songbird was also the champion 2-year-old filly of 2015.

This year, Songbird has won both of her starts – the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont on June 10 and the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap on July 15 – by one length. Overall, Songbird is 13 for 14 with a nose loss to Beholder in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Songbird’s victory in the Delaware Handicap was not as dominant as many expected it to be. But Hollendorfer was just fine with it considering it was her second start of the year and just her second career race at the 1 1/4-mile distance.

“I felt like the racetrack was a difficult racetrack,” Hollendorfer said. “I’m not going to make any excuses for Songbird. She’s done everything we’ve asked her to do.

“She’s a little bit different this year,” Hollendorfer added. “I don’t think she’s going to be as apt to win her races by open daylight. But who could ask a horse to do that every time?”

On Sunday at Del Mar, Songbird worked five furlongs in 1:01 under exercise rider Freddie Rodriguez. It was her third workout since the Delaware Handicap.

“She gets a little wound up when Mike’s on her,” said Hollendorfer, referring to jockey Mike Smith. “She has a different feeling. We’re very happy with the way she worked. We don’t need to get real fast works in her. It was a good, solid work with a good, solid gallop-out.”

Hollendorfer said he has spaced Songbird’s works out a little differently this year, but noted she would work again in six days before flying to New York at the beginning of next week.

“I felt since we already ran a mile and a quarter second time out, I didn’t feel I had to be as hard on Songbird as I had been in the past to get her ready,” Hollendorfer said.

Among those under strong consideration for the Personal Ensign, run at 1 1/8 miles, are Carina Mia, Forever Unbridled, and Going for Broke.