Songbird began last year when the daughter of Medaglia dOro made an impressive debut at Del Mar.I remember Edgar told me when she was entered, I sh

Long about 4:30 on Friday afternoon, after he has set the feed and neatened up the double-wide stall of a certain chestnut racehorse, Raul Rodriguez will wander over to the Santa Anita Park grandstand in Arcadia, California,?in time to watch the $2 million Breeders Cup Distaff.He wont be alone. The Distaff could be the most compelling event in the 13-race Breeders Cup gallery, which will be spread over two warm and dry Southern California days and feature such international stars as California Chrome, Tepin, Flintshire and Found.The Distaff, at 1? miles on the main track, has become that perfect storm of a horse race. Those getting the most attention are Beholder, who won the Distaff in 2013 on her way to the 3-year-old filly championship; Stellar Wind, who finished an unlucky second last year to clinch 3-year-old filly honors; and Songbird, the de facto 3-year-old filly champion of 2016 who will be facing her elders for the first time.Rodriguez, 59, is the groom who takes care of California Chrome for Art and Alan Shermans stable. They dont have a runner in the Distaff hunt -- California Chrome takes center stage on Saturday in the $6 million Classic -- but Rodriguez will be cheering on Songbird for all hes worth. His son Edgar Rodriguez is Songbirds regular exercise rider and boon traveling companion, a role he has played throughout the fillys career of 11 starts without a defeat.Such father-son stories are not uncommon around the racetrack. Racing is, after all, a family business, whether the family is the Whitneys, the Hancocks or the House of Windsor.Ben Jones and his son Jimmy were the dominant American classic trainers for two decades from 1938 to 1958. Marion Van Berg perennially was among the leading trainers before his son Jack won nine national titles in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.There were four generations of the Burch clan who that their marks in the game, as did the Parke brothers of Idaho, while California has had its own Jones boys, from Farrell to Gary to Marty.The Breeders Cup of 2016 is no less a family affair. Aidan OBrien will go head-to-head with his son, the fledgling trainer Joseph OBrien, in the Juvenile Fillies Turf on Friday. Keith Desormeaux will send out With Honors in the Juvenile Fillies, while his brother Kent has three Breeders Cup rides, including First Lady Stakes winner Photo Call in the mile.The Ortiz brothers have become a family to reckon with -- Jose and Irad have 15 Breeders Cup mounts between them. Norman Casse, son of Mark Casse, rarely lets defending mile champ Tepin out of his sight, while Riley Mott has become an important part of the operation for his Hall of Fame father, Bill Mott.Raul and Florentina Rodriguez have three sons.Raul Jr. is 32, Edgar just turned 30, and Freddie is 28, said their father. Two years apart. After the last one, I told my wife, Thats it. No more.The Rodriguez family comes from the state of Jalisco in Mexico, where Edgar and Raul Jr. were born. Freddie was born in Northern California after Raul went to work at Golden Gate Fields, eventually landing a job with the Shermans.When he was old enough, Edgar worked at the barn, Raul said one morning this week in California Chromes secluded corner of the Santa Anita backstretch.When he started to gallop horses, Art comes to me and says, Hes pretty good. Has he ridden before? Raul said. Yes, I said. Since he was little, he rode quarter horses at our farm all the time -- all the boys.Raul Jr. is a groom with the Sherman stable, and Freddie works alongside Edgar in the Jerry Hollendorfer barn, where Songbird resides. Edgars adventures with Songbird began last year when the daughter of Medaglia dOro made an impressive debut at Del Mar.I remember Edgar told me when she was entered, I should come out and see the race, Raul recalled. He said she looked like something special. He was right, dont you think?When Songbird took to the road this year for a campaign that included a monthlong stay at Saratoga for the Coaching Club American Oaks and the Alabama, Hollendorfer and his assistant Dan Ward made sure Edgar was with the filly every step of the way.You dont like to let her out of your sight for too long, Ward said. But Edgar knows her so well. He took good care of her.Watching the younger Rodriguez aboard Songbird is a treat. Then again, she could make any rider look good, but Edgar clicks in perfect harmony with her occasional fussing before they dip into the silky smooth rhythm that has held up through 16 months of training and competition.She is bigger now, sure, Edgar said. More mature. And she never gets tired.His father, who has California Chrome as a benchmark Thoroughbred, has nothing but admiration for his sons work with Songbird.She has a lot of condition, Raul said. You can see that. Im very excited to watch her run because its going to be a great race.And what if the Rodriguez family sweeps the table with victories in both the Distaff and the Classic?Well, we were too busy to celebrate Edgars birthday the other day, Raul replied. So, well do that next week at Los Alamitos, get a nice table and have dinner. Maybe well have even more to celebrate. Cheap Adidas Stan Smith Shoes . The 18th player to shoot 60 on the tour, Jamieson settled for par on the final hole when his 15-foot birdie chip grazed the edge of the hole and stayed out. After opening with rounds of 66 and 73 to make the cut by a stroke, he had 11 birdies in the bogey-free round. Adidas Stan Smith Womens Canada . -- Jimmy Walkers first PGA Tour trophy came with a special gift tucked inside. http://www.cheapstansmithcanada.com/ . 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Western Sydney coach Tony Popovic will look to bolster his squad in the new year with one eye on their 2017 Asian Champions League campaign, even if he wont reveal what areas he will spend in.Sydney FC keeper Vedran Janjetovic and off contract striker Robbie Keane, the Republic of Irelands all-time leading scorer, are the players rumoured to be in the frame.Janjetovic has been granted indefinite leave by the Sky Blues to deal with personal issues and Keanes wage demands could prove beyond the Wanderers scope.Popovic said there was nothing to report on either man as far as the Wanderers were concerned.But with the January transfer window drawing closer, Popovic made it clear the Wanderers have the salary cap room to augment their squad.If we feel that someone can help strengthen the squad that will happen in January, Popovic said.Well certainly strengthen in January in areas that we believe we need.I wont reveal the areas Im looking at but theres a few areas that weve targeted that we feel can help us with the period that we have with the Champions League.How quickly those new players might be used could bow be anyones guess with the Wanderers getting back on the A-League winners list in fine style.Nicolas Martinez and Mitch Nicholls wwere superb as Western Sydney won 4-1 in Gosford to move above the Mariners on the table.dddddddddddd.Prior to Saturday nights win, the Wanderers had drawn five of their previous six games, losing the other one.We have been performing well, its here for everyone to see, but we havent got the results, Popovic said.We keep believing in what were doing and you can see thats a very confident team out there that finished a game off very strong..We havent been able to put teams away, so it was nice to get four goals.Mariners coach Paul Okon said he couldnt fault the application, attitude and hunger of his starting side, in which striker Roy ODonovan was the only player aged over 25.Can we improve?, absolutely, Okon said.We need to be better in those important moments that we need to defend better, but well continue to improve.Mariners midfielders Mickael Tavares and Nick Montgomery missed the match with ankle and hamstring injuries respectively.Okon said Montgomery was a good chance of being back for next Saturdays game away to Wellington and he would have a better idea of Tavares prospects on Monday or Tuesday. 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