Songbird is a perfect 10 after romp at Saratoga

For the first start since he climbed aboard Songbird 10 races ago, jockey Mike Smith was worried as the 136th Alabama Stakes unfolded on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

His 3-year-old filly possesses such high cruising speed that she is accustomed to taking the early lead. But Luis Saez had gunned Go Maggie Go from the starting gate, intent on making Songbird chase him in a bold attempt to take her out of her game.

Smith knew Go Maggie Go was carving out fast fractions. He fretted they might be too swift as he kept his eager mount on hold in her first test at a mile and a quarter. Would she withstand such heavy pressure and have something left for what loomed as a demanding stretch run?

No worries. Songbird made the lead entering the final turn and separated herself from the rest of the seven-horse field with every efficient stride, finishing with a seven-length margin. Remarkably, her 10 victories have come by a combined 54 ¾ lengths.

“She’s got the ‘it’ factor,” Smith said. “Not only can she run, she is extremely intelligent, her mechanics are incredible and her balance is impeccable. You feel like you are lying on a big king-sized bed. That’s how smooth she is.”

Songbird’s last two victories have come at Saratoga, and each presented a different challenge. In the 1 1/8-mile Coaching Club American Oaks on July 24, Carina Mia ranged up beside her and threatened to go by at the top of the stretch. Front-running Songbird would have none of it, shaking off the challenge when roused by Smith and drawing off by 5 ¼ lengths.

In the Alabama, Go Maggie Go ultimately embarked on a suicide mission, blazing through the opening quarter of a mile in 23.76 seconds and a half-mile in 47.77 seconds. She was still pouring it on as the first three-quarters of a mile went in 1:11.13.

It may be some time before another filly tries that. Go Maggie Go wilted to sixth while Going for Broke closed to be a non-threatening second, a length and three-quarters ahead of Family Tree.

“They can come at her early, come at her late and, so far, she has shown she can put them all away,” Smith said.

Songbird completed the classic distance in 2:03. She was sent off as an overwhelming favorite by the crowd of 40,329, many of them holding posters of the unbeaten filly distributed at the gate. She returned $2.40 to win, $2.10 to place. There was no show wagering.

Owner Rick Porter was not present to watch the latest display of dominance by the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro. He was hospitalized with an undisclosed ailment.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Porter, who is from Pennsylvania, asked him to prepare Songbird for the Cotillion Stakes on Sept. 24 at Parx Racing, just outside of Philadelphia. It will be interesting to see who challenges the filly that is a perfect 10.