Photo courtesy of Cinthia Ane McGreevy

Two years ago, on the advice of bloodstock agent Tom McGreevy, Fox Hill Farm’s Rick Porter entered the bidding fray in the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion at the Fasig-Tipton yearling sale in Saratoga, trying to add a dark bay Medaglia d’Oro filly to his already prodigious list of stakes-winning fillies and mares.

Four-hundred thousand dollars later, she was his. He named her Songbird, and in an eight-race undefeated career, she’s earned $2.1 million. Sunday afternoon, she’ll try to keep that streak alive in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks.

Three years before that Fasig-Tipton yearling sale, in Ocala, Fla., Porter spent nearly as much money as he did on Songbird, going to $350,000 for a Silver Train colt at the OBS March sale of 2-year-olds. Named Barefoot Mailman, he was retired after three races, one win, and earnings of $28,296 for Fox Hill and trainer Steve Hobby.

“My father used to train racehorses, and I’ve always been in love with Thoroughbreds,” said Cinthia Ane McGreevy, Tom’s wife. “I used to ride hunter/jumpers, and my daughter used to ride Thoroughbreds. I still believe they’re extremely talented, and they were superstars in the jumping world for many years.

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