SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- The Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks was playing out just as most people thought it would. The visiting Songbird, with the target of a champion on her back, was being stalked intently by Carina Mia, the challenger playing in her backyard at steamy Saratoga.Approaching the quarter pole of the 1-1/8-mile event, Carina Mia and jockey Julien Leparoux were at the throatlatch of Songbird and Mike Smith.Rick Porter, the owner of Songbird, was standing in his box seat area near the finish line.I got a little nervous, Porter admitted.The nerves didnt last long. Smith asked Songbird for more than he ever had to before and the filly responded, running away from Carina Mia and drawing off to a 5-1/4-length victory in the Coaching Club, keeping her unbeaten in nine starts. Carina Mia was second by four lengths over Flora Dora. Mo dAmour and Weep No More completed the order of finish.I knew at some point Carina Mia was going to give her a serious test, an acid test, and she did, Smith said. She made her do something shes never had to do before; well see what happens. A lot of times, a true champion, this will move them up because its the first time somebody got inside her gut. If that happens, oh my.Songbird had been dominant winning her first eight starts by a combined 42-1/2 lengths. With the exception of the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies, Songbird had faced modest competition.In Carina Mia, winner of the Grade 2 Eight Belles and Grade 1 Acorn in her last two starts, Songbird was meeting the best filly she had ever faced.I could agree with that, Jerry Hollendorder, the trainer of Songbird said.Songbird had the rail and was the speed of the Coaching Club American Oaks, whose purse was raised by the New York Racing Association to $500,000 from $300,000 to attract Songbird here. Carina Mia was the stalker and had post 2.Songbird jumped sharply out of the gate and Smith, understanding the rail was the deepest part of the track, moved Songbird a bit off the rail in the early stages of the race and moved to the three- or four-path down the backside.Songbird maintained a length to 1-1/2-length advantage over Carina Mia through fractions of 23.86 seconds for the quarter-mile, 47.52 for the half, and 1:11.63 for six furlongs.Entering the far turn, Leparoux sent Carina Mia after Songbird, who had wandered back to the inside. At the quarter pole, the two were on equal terms.In upper stretch, Smith went to a left-handed whip, smacked Songbird a few times and she responded, drawing away from Carina Mia in the final three-sixteenths.Songbird, a daughter of Medaglia dOro who sold for $400,000 as a yearling across the street at the Fasig-Tipton auction in 2014, covered the 1-1/8 miles in 1:49.56 and returned $2.60 as the 1-5 favorite.Im very grateful to win with her, Hollendorfer said. She does it easy, you always wonder if theyre going to keep doing it, but she keeps doing it.The vanquished were proud, albeit somewhat disappointed as they thought they were primed to pull an upset.At the quarter pole I thought I could actually win the race, Leparoux said. But she just re-broke.Said Bill Mott, Carina Mias trainer: I thought maybe we had her. We didnt.Songbird will stay in Saratoga and point to the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama here on Aug. 20. Anders Hedberg Jersey . 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DENVER -- After a stunningly successful debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers, veteran left-hander Rich Hill will make his second start for them Tuesday. Hill pitches off his highly effective overhand curveball. He will face the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, where the mile-high altitude poses a challenge to any breaking pitch.However, Hill, 36, has experience at Coors Field. Hes 0-2 with an 8.80 ERA in three starts there, one each in 2006, 2007 and 2008 with the Chicago Cubs. The most recent and best start was April 23, 2008, and Hill allowed two runs on three hits in five innings with three strikeouts and four walks. He didnt figure in the decision in the Cubs 7-6 win.The Dodgers acquired Hill from Oakland on Aug. 1. The As had placed him on the disabled list July 20 with a left middle finger blister. Hill went 9-3 with a 2.25 ERA in 14 starts for the As this season while limiting the opposition to a .201 average.In his Dodgers debut Wednesday, Hill outdueled the Giants Johnny Cueto and was the winning pitcher in the Dodgers 1-0 victory. Hill allowed five singles with no walks and three strikeouts while throwing 81 pitches, 63 strikes, in six scoreless innings. He went to a three-ball count once.Everything felt solid. Mentally, I felt great, body feels good, Hill said. Something that Ive emphasized throughout the entire season in Oakland and carried over here into L.A. is just stay within the moment, a pitch-to-pitch approach annd really just making sure you execute each pitch.ddddddddddddDodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Hill, The command wasnt perfect, but he willed himself to six innings. As seen on video, he has such good feel for the curveball. It wasnt right on point, but he was very good.Left-hander Tyler Anderson will oppose Hill. Overall, Anderson is 4-5 with a 3.69 ERA. In his only previous game against the Dodgers, he held them to two runs and six hits in seven innings Aug. 3 and was the winning pitcher in Colorados 12-2 romp. That was the last win for Anderson, who is 1/3 with a 4.91 ERA in his past four starts.In his last game at Milwaukee on Wednesday, Anderson gave up three hits and two runs in five innings with two walks and a career-high 10 strikeouts, giving Anderson 77 strikeouts in 83 innings or an average of 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings.I think when he has his best changeup, hes going to miss bats, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said, Typically he may get weak contact with that pitch. But its good enough he can get swings and misses, too. I think it was real good that last start. He commanded the fastball with it, and he would speed guys up to get to that changeup. Once you speed them up, theyre going to miss the changeup when you pull the string on them. I think thats what you saw in his last start. ' ' '