Midnight Bisou sent to Rood and Riddle, will miss Spinster

Midnight Bisou, the reigning champion older female, will miss Sunday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Spinster Stakes at Keeneland after coming out of a Monday workout at Saratoga a bit off, according to her connections.

Midnight Bisou was to be sent to Dr. Larry Bramlage at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., for a complete evaluation, according to Jeff Bloom, head of Bloom Racing, which owns Midnight Bisou in partnership with Madaket Stables and Allen Racing. Midnight Bisou is scheduled to leave Saratoga by van on Tuesday and be examined on Wednesday, Bloom said.

On Monday at Saratoga, Midnight Bisou worked a half-mile in 50.15 seconds over what was a fast Oklahoma training track before rain arrived.

Bloom said that assistant trainer Scott Blasi noticed Midnight Bisou was off in her right foreleg while she was cooling out back at the barn.

“She’s not in distress, she’s bright-eyed, happy, eating,” Bloom said. “Clearly, she’s not going to run Sunday. She’ll be seen by Dr. Bramlage on Wednesday morning. He’ll do a full set of diagnostics. We’ll take every precaution and look after her as best we can and make some decisions after he evaluates her.”

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Bloom was hoping to use the Spinster as a stepping-stone to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

Midnight Bisou has been entered to be sold at the Fasig-Tipton bloodstock sale on Nov. 8, the night after the Breeders’ Cup. Last year, she was entered in the same sale but withdrawn the morning of the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita. Midnight Bisou finished second in the Distaff, falling short of a perfect 8-for-8 season.

Midnight Bisou, a 5-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute, has won 13 races – all graded stakes – from 22 career starts. She is a five-time Grade 1 winner. In three starts this year, Midnight Bisou won the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs in between finishing second to Maximum Security in the $20 million Saudi Cup in February and second to Vexatious in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga in August.

Midnight Bisou has career earnings of $7,471,520.