Midnight Bisou, Elate to Meet Again in Personal Ensign

As far as racing rivalries go in an era of rest, rest, and more rest, Midnight Bisou vs. Elate rates as one of 2019's best examples of the phenomenon.

The two distaff stars will meet for the third time this year Aug. 24 in the $700,000 Personal Ensign Stakes Presented by Lia Infiniti (G1) at Saratoga Race Course in what promises to be another intriguing matchup between the multiple grade 1-winning females in a small but talented field of six fillies and mares.

"Midnight Bisou is a tough competitor," said Bill Mott, who trains Elate. "They're going to have to do some running to win this one."

Midnight Bisou, a 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute , and Elate, a 5-year-old Medaglia d'Oro  mare, have met twice in their careers, both times in 2019, with the younger Midnight Bisou prevailing on each occasion.

In the first one, Elate was sent off as the even-money favorite, but Midnight Bisou—the 6-5 second choice owned by Bloom Racing Stable, Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables, and Allen Racing—posted a length victory over Elate in the March 16 Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park. It was Elate's first start since she finished second—a neck behind Abel Tasman—in last year's Personal Ensign.

A homebred for Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, Elate returned in the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) a month later, and again Midnight Bisou proved best, winning by a nose over Escape Clause, with Elate another 2 3/4 lengths back in third.

"The two matchups we had of late with Elate worked out well for us, but she's since come back and showed incredibly strong performances, making it an intriguing matchup. Everybody will need to have their running shoes on," said Jeff Bloom, founder and managing director of Bloom Racing. "It's shaped up with a solid group of fillies. It's not a big field, but there's a lot of quality, for sure."

Since that day in April, Midnight Bisou and Elate own spotless records, winning both of their starts prior to Saturday's Breeders' Cup Challenge series race that will award the victor a "Win and You're In" spot in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).

Midnight Bisou, who is 5-for-5 in 2019 and fourth in the latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top 10 poll, drew clear to post a decisive 3 1/2-length score in the June 8 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, then overcame high temperatures to win the July 20 Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park by a length while regular rider Mike Smith kept her under wraps for much of the race.

"She's awesome. She's standing in Rachel Alexandra's stall (at Saratoga), and it brings back a lot of memories because they are both such pretty fillies," said trainer Steve Asmussen. "She's beautiful."

Elate, out of the Distorted Humor  mare Cheery, rebounded from her losses at Oaklawn to take the June 15 Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs and the lucrative July 13 Delaware Handicap (G2) for a second straight year.

"She came back good from the Delaware race and is doing well now," Mott said. "She put in a very good run in that race. She exploded and put in the kind of run that she's capable of. We've been able to get a little racing in her this year and a little seasoning. She's fit and ready to go, so hopefully that will carry on to the Personal Ensign."

Of the two, Elate has the better track record at the Spa. She won the 2017 Alabama Stakes (G1) there by 5 1/2 lengths and finished second to Abel Tasman in a pair of grade 1 stakes by a neck and a head.

Midnight Bisou's two 2018 starts at Saratoga amounted to a second, three lengths behind champion 3-year-old filly Monomoy Girl in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), and a third in the Alabama, 6 3/4 lengths behind the victorious Eskimo Kisses and a neck behind Personal Ensign starter and La Troienne Stakes Presented by Inside Access from Chase (G1) winner She's a Julie.

"Our filly has been camped out at Saratoga since before the meet started and has been doing well," Bloom said. "I've been around this filly a long time, and that breeze (Aug. 19, four furlongs in :49.72), in my opinion, that workout was one of her top two workouts ever. That was encouraging to see her go out and visually impress us so much. We're thrilled with the way she's coming into the race, and we're thrilled to tackle Saratoga with her in a big race."

Midnight Bisou, who will be bidding for a sixth straight win, drew the rail in the 1 1/8-mile race. Out of the Repent mare Diva Delite, she was purchased by Bloom for $80,000 from the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. She has won 10 of 16 starts, with earnings of $2,870,000 and four grade 1 victories.

"She's an amazingly consistent mare that has maintained a very high level for an extended period of time," Asmussen said. "We're expecting and want more of the same."

Elate, who will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, landed post 4.

The field also includes Roddy Valente, RAP Racing, and West Point Thoroughbreds' Coach Rocks, who was second in the Molly Pitcher, Summer Wind Equine's Golden Award, and Peter Brant and Stud Vendaval's Wow Cat. Golden Award and Wow Cat ran 1-2, respectively, in the July 21 Shuvee Stakes (G3) at the Spa. The Shuvee marked the first start for Wow Cat since Nov. 3, when she was second in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, finishing a half-length ahead of Midnight Bisou.

She's a Julie, an Elusive Quality filly owned by Whispering Oaks Farm, Bradley Thoroughbreds, Tim and Anna Cambron, and Madaket Stables, was third in both the Fleur de Lis and Shuvee after the La Troienne.

Mott and Asmussen will each have two starters. Asmussen will send out She's a Julie, and Mott will saddle Golden Award.

The Personal Ensign will be the ninth race on a 13-race card with six grade 1 stakes. Post time is scheduled for 4:12 p.m. ET.

Entries: Personal Ensign S. Presented by Lia Infiniti (G1)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 24, 2019, Race 9

• Grade I
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $700,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:12 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Midnight Bisou (KY)	Mike E. Smith	124	Steven M. Asmussen	6/5
2	2Coach Rocks (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Dale L. Romans	20/1
3	3She's a Julie (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Steven M. Asmussen	12/1
4	4Elate (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	William I. Mott	7/5
5	5Wow Cat (CHI)	John R. Velazquez	122	Chad C. Brown	5/1
6	6Golden Award (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	William I. Mott	8/1