Owner Rick Porter announced on Facebook Thursday that two-time Eclipse Award winning filly Songbird has been retired due to both of her hind suspensory ligaments being enlarged.

Porter wrote that the enlargement was in a similar area to where Songbird had bonebruising last year that delayed her return to the races this year.

The enlargement was diagnosed by Dr. Larry Bramlage at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. where Songbird was sent following her loss to Forever Unbridled in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga last Saturday.

"After this past race, we thought something seemed off in her hind end, so we sent her to Rood & Riddle for an evaluation. Her lameness was readily apparent to Dr. Bramlage, and ultrasounds proved both hind suspensories were enlarged," Porter wrote on the Fox Hill Farm Facebook page. "Since suspensories are usually the result of something else amiss and he knew of her history, Dr. Bramlage shot a set of x-rays of the area of bone Songbird had issues with over the winter. A distinct line on the bone was present. We followed up with a bone scan, and then an MRI.

"Unfortunately, the results weren't what we wanted to see. We have a situation where it'd be dangerous for Songbird to continue training, and Dr. Bramlage isn't optimistic that the site will fully resolve even if given ample time.

So for this reason, we are retiring our lovely Songbird. She was an absolute joy to race, and we expect that she'll be as wonderful a broodmare as she was a racehorse. She took us on an incredible and unforgettable journey. While we're sad that we must retire her, we absolutely cannot risk having another Eight Belles kind of devastation and are ultimately happy that she is retiring in good health. May she soar to new heights in her future journey."

Songbird, a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, retires with a record of 13-2-0 from 15 starts and career earnings of $4,692,000. She was a nine-time Grade 1 stakes winner.