Dream Tree-Midnight Bisou showdown likely in Santa Anita Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. - The absence of the undefeated Dream Tree from Saturday’s Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita may have done more to enhance her rivalry with race winner Midnight Bisou than if she had competed.

Last fall, Dream Tree beat Midnight Bisou by a nose in two starts: a maiden race here in October and the minor Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar. Since then, both fillies have stayed apart and won two stakes.

Their next showdown is expected in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks on April 7, a $400,000 race at 1 1/16 miles. Bill Spawr, who trains Midnight Bisou, would have preferred to have tested his filly against Dream Tree on Saturday.

“I was hoping she’d run,” Spawr said.

Trainer Bob Baffert withdrew Dream Tree on race morning to avoid a start on a wet-fast track.

Dream Tree won the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos in December and her 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes at a mile on Feb. 4.

Midnight Bisou won for the first time in her career in her third start in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes at seven furlongs on Jan. 7. The $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes was her first start around two turns. She inherited the role of favorite and paid $2.60.

Midnight Bisou was timed in 1:41.10 and earned a career-best Beyer speed figure of 94. The convincing win only enhanced her reputation.

“We’ve got a game plan and this was a step,” Spawr said. “She cooperated. If she comes out fine, we’ll go for the Santa Anita Oaks.”

Owned by the partnership of Bloom Racing and Allen Racing, Midnight Bisou was not fully extended to win the Santa Ysabel. She closed from third to take a commanding lead in early stretch, winning by 2 1/4 lengths over Thirteen Squared, who was fourth behind Dream Tree in the Las Virgenes.

Spawr said a track that contained a fair amount of moisture from rain on Friday and early Saturday was not a leading factor in the victory.

“She’s that good,” Spawr said. “It’s not the surface.”

Smith has ridden Midnight Bisou in both of her wins. He hardly used his whip in the Santa Ysabel, tapping Midnight Bisou in a back-handed motion a few times in the final sixteenth.

“She relaxed so well going into that first turn and took everything so much better than expected,” Smith said. “She won well within herself and I didn’t have to get after her at all.”