Best 3yr Old Filly? Yes. Best in the Nation? Not So Fast
- Laura Pugh
- Aug 21, 2016
- 2 min read
Photo Credit: Casey Laughter
Songbird, proved once again, that she is without a doubt the best three-year-old filly in America.
The field for the August 20th Alabama Stakes (GI) wasn’t a stellar field, but you can only beat who shows up, and Song bird did that once again. The margin of victory was an ever widening seven lengths. The final time of 2:03.00 for the one mile and a quarter distance may seem slow at first glance, but is actually faster than the average time of 2:03.18, over the last 20 runnings.
It was a very emotional day, and a very emotional race, especially for Jockey Mike Smith.
“Today was just more of an emotional day for the whole team,” said Smith. “with Mr. [Rick] Porter being ill and having to go to the hospital. I pray he got to watch this and lift his spirits.”
In her last two starts, Songbird has been tested in ways that she never was test in her eight previous starts. In the Coaching Club American Oaks (GI), Carina Mia fired her best shot around the turn and into the upper stretch. She looked Songbird in the eye and Songbird brushed her away. In the Alabama Stakes, Go Maggie Go pressured her though hot early fractions, but couldn’t wear the champion down.
“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 now has wins in three different states, from California to New York, at distances from six furlongs to 10 furlongs. It would seem that no matter the distance, no matter the track, that Songbird has no equal in her own division.
Despite her dominance in her own division, it still is premature to name her the best three-year-old in training, let alone the best horse in the country. She is brilliant, but still has not run fast enough in time, nor in speed figures, to inspire the type of confidence some have for her.
The three-year-old colts have not been overly consistent, which is what causes the thought that she is better than any of them. However, without actually taking them on, it can’t be said with certainty that she is better. Nyquist and Exaggerator may have questions surrounding them, but each of them has proven to be much better than anything Songbird has faced thus far.
In the older divisions you have Beholder, Stellar Wind, California Chrome, Dortmund, and Frosted. All of these horses have put up times and numbers far superior to Songbird’s, and have done so in effortless fashion.
Songbird will likely get to prove herself against Beholder and Stellar Wind in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, but as of now she is still unproven. She is brilliant, and she is unquestionably the best three-year-old filly running in America, but she isn't the best horse in the nation. That is a title that need to be earned and Songbird has yet to earn it.
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