Midnight Bisou impresses in final work for Kentucky Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. – The racing surface at Santa Anita was slow and heavy early Saturday morning, but that did not matter to Midnight Bisou. By the time she returned to trainer Bill Spawr’s barn after working six furlongs at 4:30, she was not even blowing.

“That was a hell of a work,” jockey Martin Pedroza said. “She galloped out strong, too.”

Midnight Bisou, the winner of the Santa Anita Oaks under race rider Mike Smith, worked in 1:13.80 in her final major drill for the Kentucky Oaks. She will school at the starting gate on Sunday, ship to Churchill Downs on Monday, and gallop into the race.

Spawr plans to blow her out a quarter-mile through the Churchill Downs stretch on Thursday, the day before she starts in the Oaks with Smith aboard.

Spawr trains his horses early, and Midnight Bisou was one of the first horses on the track Saturday in the cool and comfortable predawn darkness. Pedroza was wearing a light on his helmet, allowing Spawr and clockers to see her work.

Midnight Bisou worked by herself as usual. “She doesn’t need company, it gets her too wound up,” Spawr said. “She works just fine by herself.”

Midnight Bisou broke off at the six-furlong marker; clockers timed her splits in 12.80 seconds, 25.00, 37.40, 49.20, 1:01.20, and 1:13.80. She galloped out seven furlongs in 1:27.80. Notwithstanding the time, Midnight Bisou was visually impressive through the stretch. She finished strongly and galloped out with energy.

After she began her career with a pair of runner-up finishes, Midnight Bisou improved with each subsequent start at Santa Anita. She won the Grade 2 Santa Ynez at seven furlongs, followed by two wins at 1 1/16 miles – the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel and Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks.

“She’s so smart, Mike [Smith] says she’s push-button to ride,” Spawr said. “He never asked her to run.”

Midnight Bisou can be a handful to saddle before a race. “It’s how sharp she is,” Spawr said. “When she gets to the track, she’ll be fine. She never turns a hair. It’s a feel-good thing. She wants to get it on.”

Midnight Bisou will be the first Churchill Downs starter for Spawr since 2012, when Amazombie finished second in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes. Amazombie won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs in 2011.

Spawr, 78, has long been one of the top trainers in Southern California. He also is one of the first trainers to arrive at the stables every morning. Regarding her training schedule at Churchill Downs the week of the Kentucky Oaks, Spawr asked, “What time do they open the track?”