Midnight Bisou to launch 2019 campaign in Houston Ladies Classic

The 3-year-old filly Midnight Bisou put together a supremely productive five-win 2018 campaign and will not take long to launch her 4-year-old season.

Third on Nov. 3 in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Midnight Bisou worked a half-mile in 50.40 seconds Tuesday at Fair Grounds and was deemed by trainer Steve Asmussen a probable starter in the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic on Jan. 27 at Sam Houston Race Park.

Midnight Bisou earned more than $1.5 million and was elevated to first in the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes in September through Monomoy Girl’s disqualification. Even after a nine-start season that included a race in January she required little down time following her solid showing in the BC Distaff.

“She’s been extremely straightforward ever since we’ve gotten her,” said Asmussen, who took over Midnight Bisou’s training from California-based Bill Spawr following her third-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks. “She does well and takes care of herself; she’s a tremendous horse.”

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Also working a half-mile Tuesday was another graded-stakes-class 3-year-old filly, Iowa Oaks winner She’s a Julie, whose immediate target hasn’t yet been determined, Asmussen said.

Neither has it been decided where Mitole next races, but Mitole on Monday at Fair Grounds worked a half-mile in 49.60 seconds, his fourth half-mile drill, all at Fair Grounds, since rejoining Asmussen’s stable in Kentucky this fall.

Three-year-old Mitole hasn’t started since May 19, when he won the Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico by more than six lengths. Mitole got a 104 Beyer Speed Figure in that race after a nine-length win in the Bachelor Stakes at Oaklawn yielded a 107 Beyer, an extremely robust figure for a spring 3-year-old.

Mitole, though, popped what Asmussen described as “a huge splint” coming off his sloppy-track Pimlico score. The colt needed enough time, Asmussen said, that it made sense to exercise patience and point for his 4-year-old season.

“He’s doing extremely well,” said Asmussen. “We’re coming back nice and slow with him.”

Finally, Asmussen said that the 2-year-old colt Tight Ten probably would make his 3-year-old bow in the Jan. 19 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds. Tight Ten finished second in the Saratoga Special and in the Iroquois Stakes before failing to muster a sustained effort coming home ninth in the BC Juvenile. Tight Ten has logged four recent works at Fair Grounds, including five furlongs in 1:01.60 on Sunday.

◗ Saturday’s six-stakes card overflows with quality, principally in the form of talented 2-year-olds. Fair Grounds managed to put together a 14-race program with 13 of the races either stakes, allowances, or 2-year-old maidens.