Midnight Bisou Lights Out in Ogden Phipps Win
Image:
Description:
Photo: Rick Samuels
Midnight Bisou delivers a decisive victory in the Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park
Any concerns about a speed-favoring track at Belmont Park June 8 were handled by multiple grade 1 winner Midnight Bisou and Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in the $651,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1).
As Come Dancing forged a clear lead early despite a slight stumble at the start, Midnight Bisou rated inside in fourth while the frontrunning grade 2 winner cruised through a quarter-mile in :23.39 and a half-mile in :45.96.
In the long far turn at Belmont, Midnight Bisou was able to improve position, and turning for home she was able to come off the rail to engage Come Dancing and jockey Manny Franco. It wasn't a long engagement, however, as Midnight Bisou quickly drew clear on her way to a 3 1/2-length victory.
Winning the 1 1/16 miles stakes for older fillies and mares in a stakes-record 1:39.69 on a fast track, Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables, and Allen Racing's Midnight Bisou earned her fourth straight graded stakes score to start the season.
Come Dancing finished second, with Mopotism holding her position in third.
Smith had confidence in his filly throughout the race, who at 123 pounds spotted each of her other four rivals six pounds.
"She just seems to be getting better with age, and she just loves it here at Belmont," Smith said. "I don't know what it is, but Big Sandy seems to bring out the best in her."
Second choice Midnight Bisou paid $5.40, $2.60, and $2.10, and 4-5 favorite Come Dancing returned $2.30 and $2.10. Mopotism paid $3.50 to show.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Midnight Bisou now has four grade 1 wins, including a narrow victory in the April 14 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at Oaklawn Park. The daughter of champion sprinter Midnight Lute improved her record to 9-3-3 from 15 starts and surpassed $2.75 million in earnings.
"She makes you so proud. She changes people's lives. She's just a special horse, and I'm proud to be associated with her," Asmussen said. "I believe she's added to how great she is with consistency. She's expecting to win, and I think the results speak for themselves."
Rounding out the short field were Escape Clause and Pacific Wind.
The Ogden Phipps is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win & You're In" race to the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). Midnight Bisou finished third in last year's Distaff.
"She will go back to Churchill Downs immediately after this," Asmussen said. "The amount of time we've had her there, she'll most likely have a breeze or two at Churchill before deciding on her next race."
Seeing a track kind to early speed, bettors made Come Dancing the favorite off her gate-to-wire win in the April 5 Distaff Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack and near-the-front win in the May 5 Ruffian Stakes (G2) at Belmont. Trainer Carlos Martin didn't think the awkward start bothered the daughter of Malibu Moon much, and he welcomed the grade 1 placing.
"She tried to break so fast, the dirt kind of broke beneath her a little bit, but she still made the lead pretty easy. I felt comfortable going down the backside," Martin said. "The second fraction was a little bit fast, but the track has been fast all day. Midnight Bisou is a champion; she's 8-for-8 at this distance, so no disgrace. I'm proud of my mare. She hanged in for second, so we'll regroup and we'll come back later on."
Midnight Bisou was purchased by Jeffrey Bloom, agent, for $80,000 from Woodford Thoroughbreds' consignment to the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds out of the Repent mare Diva Delite, the filly is a half sister to stakes-placed Stage Left.