Midnight Bisou Just Gets Up in Houston Ladies Classic

It may not have been exactly what her connections were hoping for, but Midnight Bisou got the job done in the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3), the kickoff to her 4-year-old campaign, Jan. 27 at Sam Houston Race Park.

Last of six in the backstretch under jockey Mike Smith, the Midnight Lute  filly made a wide move in the final turn of the 1 1/16-mile dirt test but still had two lengths to make up on leaders Heavenhasmynikki and Moonlit Garden with a furlong to run.

The Steve Asmussen trainee didn't blow by her rivals but found just enough to get up late and win by three-quarters of a length in a final time of 1:44.52.

"It was a little closer … than we would have liked, but she got the job done," said Jeff Bloom, who owns the filly in partnership with Madaket Stables and Allen Racing. "This was a great spot that Steve had picked out for her, to ease her into her campaign."

Heavenhasmynikki, off at 31-1, set a pace of :24.68, :49.29, and 1:13.38 through six furlongs but had trouble shaking Moonlit Garden, who pressed the pacesetter on the outside. Fifth in the first turn, Midnight Bisou had all of her rivals in front of her in the backstretch before she made her move.

"It's her first race back, and I was really getting forced out in the first turn, and it would have had to be six-, seven-, eight-wide the whole way, so I thought, 'Let's take it a little easy on her,' so I dropped in behind them," Smith said. "By the time I did that, they had slowed the pace down, and the two fillies in front of her that ran today—they ran a huge, huge race. But once she got going, her best stride was probably two strides past the wire, to be honest with you."

Moonlit Garden just got past Heavenhasmynikki at the wire to get second by a neck. Remedy was another 3 1/4 lengths back in fourth and was followed by Prado's Sweet Ride and Viva Forever to complete the order of finish.

The Houston Ladies Classic was the sixth graded victory for the two-time grade 1 winner, and it pushed her earnings past $1.7 million. Asmussen said she'll likely get another race before a planned start in the April 14 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at Oaklawn Park.

Bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds, out of the Repent mare Diva Delite, Midnight Bisou was purchased by Bloom for $80,000 out of her breeder's consignment to the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Entries: Houston Ladies Classic S. (G3)

Sam Houston Race Park, Sunday, January 27, 2019, Race 9

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 5:58 PM (local)

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