Breeders' Cup Distaff: Midnight Bisou following familiar pattern

ARCADIA, Calif. – There was something familiar about Midnight Bisou’s half-mile work Monday at Santa Anita, 51.60 seconds under exercise rider Angel Garcia. The favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff was working for the first time since returning to California.

“An easy half to get acquainted with the racetrack,” assistant trainer Scott Blasi said. “She bounced off the racetrack. That’s exactly how we wanted her to feel.”

Midnight Bisou’s work was almost identical to the initial Santa Anita work by 2014 Distaff winner Untapable, like Midnight Bisou trained by Steve Asmussen. Untapable shipped early from New York to Santa Anita, worked a half-mile in 51.80 four weeks out, followed by three more local works, and won the Distaff by 1 1/4 lengths.

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Midnight Bisou, 7 for 7 this year, will follow a similar pattern. Early indications are she has settled in well. Following her first local work, she appeared content and comfortable, with ears pricked.

“She’s a happy girl. You can tell by those ears,” Blasi said.

Rosario to ride Ollie’s Candy

Joel Rosario will replace Kent Desormeaux on Ollie’s Candy in the BC Distaff, trainer John Sadler said Wednesday.

“Rosario’s my first-call rider, and he’s here for the Breeders’ Cup,” Sadler said. He added that Kent Desormeaux “did a great job, but we kind of want to go with the home team for the big day.”

Rosario was based in California before relocating to the East Coast. Although he rides infrequently in California, Rosario and Sadler have a long history of success together, including winning the BC Classic last year with Accelerate. Sadler and Rosario have combined to win 228 races from 923 starters (24 percent).

Desormeaux rode Ollie’s Candy to victory this summer at Del Mar in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch; she finished third last out at Santa Anita in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes. Ollie’s Candy is scheduled to work Saturday at Santa Anita.

Choices for Serengeti Empress

Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress is headed to the Breeders’ Cup. But which race? Trainer Tom Amoss announced Monday on Twitter that Serengeti Empress will be cross-entered in the Distaff and the Filly and Mare Sprint. Tuesday, Amoss outlined factors that will influence his decision.

“The makeup of the fields, the size of the fields, and just as important the pace scenario of the two races,” Amoss said.

Serengeti Empress, a front-runner, was unable to make the lead in the Grade 1 Cotillion last out. She finished sixth. However, the pace scenario of the Distaff could be favorable for Serengeti Empress. Paradise Woods and Secret Spice are her main pace rivals.

Three Kentucky Oaks winners have won the Distaff – Ashado (2004), Untapable (2014), and Monomoy Girl (2018). Serengeti Empress would be the first Kentucky Oaks winner to run in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Serengeti Empress earned the highest Beyer Speed Figure of her career – a 98 – finishing second in the Grade 1, seven-furlong Test this summer at Saratoga.

Secret Spice might have excuse

After three successive runner-up finishes at 1 1/16 miles, Secret Spice might seem compromised by the Distaff distance of 1 1/8 miles. But maybe her last-out runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes, at 1 1/16 miles was better than it looks.

“She might have displaced,” trainer Richard Baltas said. “I’m not sure that she did, but she did have a little something on her throat.”

Secret Spice returned to Santa Anita this week after a throat flush and hyperbaric treatment at San Luis Rey Equine Hospital. Plans call for Secret Spice to be cross-entered in the Distaff and Filly and Mare Sprint. She won the Grade 1, one-mile Beholder in May at Santa Anita.

Street Band to work next week

Street Band has not worked since winning the Cotillion nearly three weeks ago on Sept. 21. No problem. It is standard procedure for the 3-year-old filly trained by Larry Jones.

“I don’t need to breeze her every week, because she gets a little bit too rank,” Jones said this week.

Street Band will work early next week at Churchill Downs with regular rider Sophie Doyle, after which she will work just once more before shipping to Santa Anita the week of the Breeders’ Cup. Two Cotillion winners have come back to win the Distaff – Ashado and Untapable.

◗ Daily Racing Form early odds for the BC Distaff have Midnight Bisou favored at 8-5, Elate second choice at 3-1, and Paradise Woods third choice at 8-1. However, it appears increasingly likely Elate will run in the BC Classic. If so, prices on the remaining Distaff contenders will be significantly lower, particularly Midnight Bisou and Paradise Woods.