Songbird looks to start new win streak in Ogden Phipps return

One of the biggest stars in training, Songbird will make her highly-anticipated 2017 bow in Saturday’s $750,000 Ogden Phipps (G1) at Belmont Park. The mighty filly has delighted over the past two seasons, winning races from coast-to-coast as well as a pair of Eclipse Awards, and fans hope the brilliant front-runner can soar to even greater heights at age 4.

The 1 1/16-mile Phipps is one of 10 stakes on a dynamite Belmont Stakes program and Songbird will be a prohibitive favorite among seven rivals.

Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and ridden by Mike Smith, Songbird opened her racing career with 11 straight convincing victories, including seven Grade 1s. Her tallies have come at Del Mar, Keeneland, Parx Racing, Santa Anita and Saratoga. But the dynamic performer couldn’t win them all, sustaining her first setback in gut-wrenching fashion as she came out on the wrong side of a head-bobbing finish last time out, the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Santa Anita in early November.

It was no disgrace losing by the slimmest of margins to the sublime Beholder and Songbird is looking to start a new win streak Saturday. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Medaglia d’ Oro drew post 5.

Carina Mia showed an affinity for Big Sandy when defeating Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Cathryn Sophia in last year’s Acorn (G1) on the Belmont Stakes undercard. She will make her second local appearance in the Phipps and the daughter of Malibu Moon is eligible to move forward off a close third in her 4-year-old debut, the May 6 Humana Distaff (G1). Julien Leparoux retains the mount for Bill Mott.

Highway Star enters on the upswing for Rodrigo Ubillo, recording back-to-back wins in the Distaff (G3) and Ruffian (G2). The New York-bred miss also captured the Go for Wand (G3) over open rivals in early December. A seven-time winner from 10 career starts, Highway Star will keep Angel Arroyo in the saddle.

Grade 2 winner Paid Up Subscriber has the class to challenge for a minor award but must improve upon a fourth in the May 5 La Troienne (G1) as the even-money favorite. Purchased for $1.1 million at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton November sale and transferred to Chad Brown, the 5-year-old mare will pick up a new rider in Javier Castellano.

Completing the field are Ruffian runner-up Bar of Gold; Grade 3 winner Verve’s Tale; and reformed claimer Factory of Faith.