Champions Beholder, Songbird and Stellar Wind all work at Santa Anita

Edited Press Release

Champions Beholder, Songbird and Stellar Wind all took to Santa Anita Park’s fast track on Sunday to ready for their next engagements.

Beholder and Stellar Wind, first and second in the June 4 Vanity Mile (G1) most recently, each worked five furlongs for a possible rematch in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar on July 30.

Beholder, who is riding an eight-race win streak and has been unplaced only twice in her 22-race career, was caught in :59 for trainer Richard Mandella.

“It was a little faster than I wanted, but it was a nice five-eighths,” the horseman said.

Stellar Wind, who started in the Vanity Mile off a quarter-length second in last October’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), clocked a time of 1:00.80 for conditioner John Sadler, who called the drill “perfect.”

Unbeaten sophomore filly Songbird, preparing for a tour back East, worked four furlongs under regular rider Mike Smith early Sunday morning in :49.20 for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

“It was just a real nice work,” said the Hall of Fame trainer, who has sent out more than 7,100 winners. “She went off slow and finished up good. We were all happy afterwards.”

Songbird is scheduled to have three races prior to this year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on November 4, and one of them will be the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on August 20.

“I’m not sure what race she’ll run in before that,” Hollendorfer said, “but the Alabama is on her schedule, for sure.”

The Alabama will be decided at 1 1/4 miles, the longest distance Songbird has ever run. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, owned by Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms, is unbeaten and unchallenged in eight victories, including her most recent, the June 18 Summertime Oaks (G2), in which she cantered home first by 6 1/2 lengths.

Hollendorfer won six races Saturday, three at Santa Anita and three at the Oak Tree at Pleasanton stand.

“We had a real good day,” he said. “We’re very grateful.”

Asked if he had ever won six races in one day, Hollendorfer said, “I don’t remember.”

Beholder photo courtesy of Cecilia Gustavsson/Horsephotos.com