There's a pretty good reason Midnight Bisou has been installed the 3-5 morning-line favorite for the Jan. 27 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3): she's the lone grade 1 winner in the field of seven. The 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute makes her seasonal bow at Sam Houston Race Park in the 1 1/16-mile Ladies Classic and will seek to bank the lion's share of the $300,000 purse—the richest race of the meet.
Midnight Bisou was clearly one of the top sophomore fillies last season, winning the Santa Anita Oaks (G1), Mother Goose Stakes (G2), and being placed ahead of Monomoy Girl in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx Racing. She also placed in four grade 1 races and capped her season with a third in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).
Midnight Bisou, out of the Repent mare Diva Delite, races for Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables, and Allen Racing. She was bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds. Never off the board, she sports a 5-3-3 slate from 11 outings and has earned $1,565,000. Her exploits last season earned her a finalist position for the Eclipse Award for top 3-year-old filly of 2018.
Midnight Bisou has been training at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots with Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.
"She's a very pleasant filly and we are looking forward to running her in the Houston Ladies Classic," said Jeff Bloom, who serves as managing director for the ownership group. "After the Breeder's Cup, we let her take it easy. Steve had targeted this race as her springboard to kick off her 4-year-old campaign."
Bloom manages all the acquisitions for Bloom Racing Stable and purchased Midnight Bisou for $80,000 from Woodford Thoroughbreds' consignment to the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales' Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
Midnight Bisou will van to Houston mid-week for her season debut, for which Hall of Famer Mike Smith retains the mount.
"Mike is arguably one of the best riders in our sport," added Bloom. "He fits her like a glove and told us that the first time he rode our filly, he knew she was in a different league."
Twin Creeks Racing Stables' Remedy, a 4-year-old Creative Cause filly trained by Brad Cox, is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line. The $200,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate has run second in last two efforts, her first in graded stakes company. Last September she ran second in the Remington Park Oaks (G3) and the Nov. 23 Comely Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack.
"Brad and I thought she was a grass horse and might have run her a few too many times on the turf," said Twin Creek's Steve Davison. "She really stepped it up a notch at Aqueduct and even though we will be facing tough competition, we feel she is ready."
Davison had very good fortune a few years ago at Sam Houston when his homebred, Red Rifle, won the 2014 Maxxam Gold Cup.
Cox won the 2018 Houston Ladies Classic with Tiger Moth and has given the mount to Joe Bravo.
Prado's Sweet Ride, owned by Darrell and Sadie Brommer, will van in from her Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots base for trainer Gary Scherer. The 7-year-old daughter of Fort Prado is the only other graded stakes winner in the field, having won the Nov. 22 Falls City Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs.
Sam Houston Race Park, Sunday, January 27, 2019, Race 9Entries: Houston Ladies Classic S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Song From Above (CA)
Sasha Risenhoover
116
Stephanie Herb
50/1
2
2Remedy (KY)
Joe Bravo
116
Brad H. Cox
3/1
3
3Viva Forever (ON)
Deshawn L. Parker
116
Karl Broberg
12/1
4
4Moonlit Garden (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
Christopher Davis
8/1
5
5Heavenhasmynikki (OH)
Gerard Melancon
118
Robert B. Hess, Jr.
15/1
6
6Prado's Sweet Ride (IL)
Florent Geroux
123
Gary M. Scherer
6/1
7
7Midnight Bisou (KY)
Mike E. Smith
123
Steven M. Asmussen
3/5