Midnight Bisou continues divisional domination in Beldame

ELMONT, N.Y. - Midnight Bisou got the perfect prep her connections were looking for Saturday as she recorded an easier-than-it-looked 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park.

The win was the seventh in as many starts for Midnight Bisou in 2019 - all graded stakes - and sends her to Santa Anita with a chance to throw her hat in the ring for Horse of the Year if she’s able to win the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 2.

“It’s a fair thing to say she’s certainly in the discussion at this point when you look at what’s out there and what she’s done,” said Jeff Bloom, head of the Bloom Racing partnership, which owns Midnight Bisou.

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Midnight Bisou thrives on racing and the Beldame fit her schedule nicely between the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga on Aug. 24 and the Distaff, Bloom said. That and her affinity for Belmont Park, where she previously won two graded stakes, made this an ideal stepping-stone.

Midnight Bisou’s regular rider Mike Smith stayed in Southern California to ride McKinzie in the Grade 1 Awesome Again. John Velazquez picked up the mount.

Breaking from the rail, Midnight Bisou raced inside of Spring in the Wind through modest fractions of 24.84 seconds and a half-mile in 48.09.

“He tried to put me on the rail,” Velazquez said. “I said ‘No, no, buddy, you got to stay off a little bit.’ I don’t want to get behind a horse that’s not going to take me anywhere.”

Entering the far turn, Velazquez put Midnight Bisou on the lead. Spring in the Wind was still there while Wow Cat was prepared to pounce three wide.

Turning into the lane, Spring in the Wind faded and Wow Cat tried to make a race of it. Midnight Bisou and Wow Cat brushed ever so slightly in upper stretch, but it was inconsequential as Midnight Bisou began to draw away.

“She went to throw her head up, I put my whip left-handed, and she ducked in a little bit and we brushed a little, but nothing big,” Velazquez said.

Midnight Bisou, a 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.86 and returned $2.30 as the 1-9 favorite.

“This was perfect,” Bloom said.

Midnight Bisou, trained by Steve Asmussen, is scheduled to ship to Southern California on Monday along with the Asmussen-trained Mitole, who is training up to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Wow Cat won the Beldame last year and finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Trainer Chad Brown said he would talk to owner Peter Brant about whether to try the Breeders’ Cup again this year. As for the Beldame, he thought his filly ran her race and was just second best to a likely champion.

“She ran great,” Brown said. “Jose rode a fabulous race - he gave her every chance to win. Midnight Bisou ran great. She was taken out of her game a little bit being on the inside and she overcame it. Hats off to her. She earned it and I think Wow Cat made her earn it.”

Following Wow Cat in the order of finish were Crimson Frost, Another Broad and Spring in the Wind.