Midnight Bisou, Monomoy Girl turn focus to BC Distaff

BENSALEM, Pa. - The top three finishers in the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx Racing on Saturday came out of the race well and will be sent to Churchill Downs to resume training. Midnight Bisou and Monomoy Girl will be pointed to the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill, while Wonder Gadot is a "possibility" for that race.

Midnight Bisou and Monomoy Girl both ran strong races in the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion. Monomoy Girl appeared to have the race in hand entering the stretch, but possibly lost her focus when she found herself several lengths in front.

She drifted inward in front of Midnight Bisou while maybe 1 1/2 lengths clear in upper stretch, then drifted outward in the final furlong, herding Midnight Bisou toward the middle of the track.

Midnight Bisou was taken down to the deeper, more demanding inside part of the track nearing the stretch by jockey Mike Smith. When Monomoy Girl came inward under Florent Geroux, Smith took Midnight Bisou to her outside. Midnight Bisou kept coming at Monomoy Girl through the final furlong and was within a neck of her at the finish.

The stewards disqualified Monomoy Girl for interference, a call that has both its supporters and detractors. Both fillies earned career-best Beyer Speed Figures of 101.

Steve Asmussen, Midnight Bisou's trainer, said his assistant, Scott Blasi, who was at Parx on Saturday, told him Sunday morning that the daughter of Midnight Lute "came out of it great." Asmussen said Midnight Bisou was on her way to Churchill.

"The timing between the Cotillion and the Distaff is ideal and I'm excited that the Breeders' Cup is at Churchill Downs this year," Asmussen said. "I thought she trained excellent at Churchill before her win in the Mother Goose at Belmont."

The Cotillion was the third meeting between Monomoy Girl and Midnight Bisou. Monomoy Girl won the Kentucky Oaks while Midnight Bisou finished third after a troubled start. Monomoy Girl won the Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga by three lengths over Midnight Bisou.
Monomoy Girl now has eight wins and two seconds from 10 career starts. Trainer Brad Cox points out that her loss in the Golden Rod at age 2 came in similar fashion as the Cotillion.

"She’s kind of beat herself both times," Cox said. "In the Golden Rod, she was on the lead in the stretch and started wandering, too."

Monomoy Girl was beaten a neck by Road to Victory in the Golden Rod.

Cox, whose stable is based at Churchill, said he was "very proud" of Monomoy Girl and that he was "just going to turn the page and go on to the Breeders’ Cup."

Wonder Gadot was forwardly placed outside horses on the backstretch of the Cotillion. She was unable to keep up with the top two when the real running began, but persevered to finish third, beaten 10 3/4 lengths.

While trainer Mark Casse was disappointed with the result, he said Wonder Gadot came out of the race well.

"She's amazing, this morning she was prancing around," Casse said. "We're going to let her settle down, move her to Churchill Downs, and let her tell us if she'll make one more start this year."

The track at Parx was deep and tiring Saturday, and while Casse was hesitant to say Wonder Gadot had trouble getting over it, a number of horses on Saturday's card did appear to be compromised by the footing.

"The one positive we have, is that the best race of her life came at Churchill Downs," Casse said.

Wonder Gadot finished second by a half-length to Monomoy Girl in the Kentucky Oaks.