Midnight Bisou, Monomoy Girl on Course for CCA Oaks

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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Midnight Bisou wins the Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park

Grade 1 winners Monomoy Girl and Midnight Bisou have already spoiled the racing community this season with their quality. When the Saratoga Race Course meet opens next week, the masses figure to be in for yet another treat, thanks to the combined exploits of the sophomore distaff darlings.

On the heels of her runaway victory in the June 30 Mother Goose Stakes (G2), Midnight Bisou is slated to face divisional leader Monomoy Girl in the July 22 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), co-owner Jeff Bloom said July 13.

The 1 1/8-mile Coaching Club American Oaks has been on Monomoy Girl's schedule since shortly after her triumph in the June 9 Acorn Stakes (G1)—the third straight top-level win for the Brad Cox-trained filly. Though initial thoughts had Midnight Bisou waiting for the Alabama Stakes (G1) Aug. 18, Bloom said the daughter of Midnight Lute  bounced out of her six-length win in the Mother Goose too impressively to keep her on the ground for another month.

BALAN: Midnight Bisou Dominant in Six-Length Mother Goose Win

"She came out of that race in such great shape, and it didn't really take anything out of her," said Bloom, whose Bloom Racing Stable owns Midnight Bisou in partnership with Allen Racing and Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables. "She's settled in really well to Saratoga, so we're pointing to the Coaching Club.

"I think the plan would be just to get one easy breeze in before we run."

In addition to owning a minority stake in Midnight Bisou, Kumin also campaigns Monomoy Girl under the nom de course Monomoy Stables along with Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables. Even with the commonality in ownership, Bloom said the decision to point Midnight Bisou to the Coaching Club American Oaks was made with her best interest as the primary factor.

"We have to manage our filly the way we would manage her, regardless of having a different partnership breakdown," Bloom said. "As far as Bloom Racing is concerned, our focus is on our filly, and this is the right spot for her to go."

Kumin said Friday that as long as both fillies breeze well this weekend and emerge in good order, the plan is for him to have the happy problem of having multiple rooting interests in one of the nation's premier distaff tests.

"It's a little weird for me, but if it's the right thing for both of them, they're both going to run," Kumin said. "(Trainer) Steve (Asmussen) said if Bisou breezes well and comes out good, our plan is to run, and Brad said pretty much the same thing (about Monomoy Girl)."

Few would fault Kumin if he got bold enough to start plotting his post-race celebratory plans for next weekend.

With seven wins from eight starts and a 4-for-4 record in 2018, Monomoy Girl has stamped herself as the target the rest of her class must try and reel in. The chestnut daughter of Tapizar  opened her season with a victory in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2), followed by wins in the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1), the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), and the Acorn.

CROSBY: Monomoy Girl Powers to Acorn Victory

The only loss Midnight Bisou has suffered in five starts this year came when she finished third to Monomoy Girl during a troubled trip in the Kentucky Oaks. Prior to that run, the dark bay filly won the Santa Ynez Stakes (G2), Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3), and Santa Anita Oaks (G1) for previous trainer Bill Spawr. In the Mother Goose, her first start for Asmussen, she handily defeated Road to Victory—the only filly to beat Monomoy Girl.

"It's going to be an awesome race, assuming they both go, and there is a high possibility they do," Kumin said of the potential Coaching Club showdown. "I think either one of these horses can win this race, depending on how it unfolds."

Should Monomoy Girl and Midnight Bisou remain on their collision course, the only thing missing from a full-on reunion in the Coaching Club would be Kentucky Oaks runner-up Wonder Gadot. Trainer Mark Casse said Friday he is "90%" certain he'll run Wonder Gadot in the July 24 Prince of Wales Stakes—the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown—off the filly's Queen's Plate Stakes victory June 30.

CROSBY: Wonder Gadot Romps to Queen's Plate Score

"I'm not saying we haven't looked at it or thought about it, but with the two big fillies going in there, we'll probably wait for another day," said Casse, who is planning to start Gio Game in the Coaching Club. "If all were to go well, our hope would be to win or run well in the Prince of Wales and then head to the Alabama."