Jockey Smith enjoying ride with Songbird

2:35 PM ET

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Mike Smith has ridden some of the best female horses of all time — four, in fact, who are in the Hall of Fame, including Zenyatta, whose induction takes place in less than three weeks.

Smith, a Hall of Famer himself and still going strong at age 50, has found another fabulous filly in Songbird, who is undefeated in eight career starts. She will put that streak on the line Sunday in the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga, where she will meet four rivals, including Grade 1 winners Carina Mia and Weep No More.

Songbird has won her eight starts by a combined 42 1/2 lengths. She’s done it with breathtaking ease, eliciting comparisons to some of the best Smith has ridden. That list includes champions and Hall of Famers Azeri, an 11-time Grade 1 winner; Inside Information, a six-time Grade 1 winner; Sky Beauty, a nine-time Grade 1 winner; and Zenyatta, a 13-time Grade 1 winner.

The comparisons, however, are coming from other Hall of Fame riders. Smith said he’s heard from retired jockeys Pat Day, Chris McCarron, Jerry Bailey, and Jacinto Vasquez — the regular rider of the brilliant Ruffian — to talk Songbird.

“I had the best of the best riders call me after she’s run, a lot of them retired, saying she might be the best filly they’ve ever seen,” Smith said in a recent interview. “I had Pat Day call me out of the blue one day and say, ‘Is she really that good?’ Chris McCarron has come out and said, ‘She might be better than any of them you’ve ridden.'”

Fantastic filly Songbird and jockey Mike Smith will be set to go in Sunday’s Coaching Club American Oaks. Alex Evers/Getty Images

Since Songbird is just midway through her 3-year-old season, it’s understandable that Smith stops short of putting her in the elite category. For now.

“She still has a lot to prove to get to not just one of them but several of them,” Smith said. “I’ve been that blessed to have …

continue reading in source espn.go.com