Midnight Bisou targeting Beldame en route to Breeders' Cup

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – If Midnight Bisou was knocked out from her all-out effort winning Saturday’s Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga, she wasn’t showing it Sunday morning.

“She’s very proud of herself this morning,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “She was in front of her stall wanting her admiration even though you know the effort she gave.”

What an effort it was. Midnight Bisou came with a ferocious rally in the stretch under Mike Smith to nail Elate on the line and win the Personal Ensign by a nose. It was her sixth victory in as many starts this year, and third in a Grade 1. Her résumé, which includes the Apple Blossom and Ogden Phipps, should be enough to earn her an Eclipse Award as the champion older dirt female regardless of what happens this fall.

But Midnight Bisou is not done. Asmussen said Sunday that the Grade 2, $300,000 Beldame at Belmont on Sept. 28 is most likely her next race. Midnight Bisou beat Come Dancing – Saturday’s Grade 1 Ballerina winner – in the Phipps in June and she also won the Grade 2 Mother Goose at Belmont last year.

“She runs awesome at Belmont,” said Asmussen, who plans to train Midnight Bisou in Saratoga up to the Beldame.

Midnight Bisou has taken a significant step forward from 3 to 4, Asmussen said.

“Bisou’s evolution this year is her understanding of what’s expected of her and the acceptance of it,” Asmussen said. “She’s tremendously talented, but the intelligence that goes along with it when you’re dealing with her is so impressive.”

Midnight Bisou is building a résumé that could put her into contention for Horse of the Year. Owner Jeff Bloom said the Beldame and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 are the likely two races left on Midnight Bisou’s calendar. Bloom left the door open a crack for a run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“We’ve worked back from the Distaff all year,” Bloom said. “Would I completely rule out the [Classic] opportunity? No, but we’ll do what’s right for the horse and the situation and one of those being the Breeders’ Cup [Distaff] then it’s like ‘Well at least you’re in the conversation.”

Midnight Bisou beat Elate for a third time this year, having done so in the Azeri and Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park. In between those losses, Elate won the Fleur de Lis and Delaware Handicap – both Grade 2 stakes.

Bill Mott, trainer of Elate, said everything is in play this fall including a start against males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Elate is a three-time winner at 1 1/4 miles, the distance of the Classic.

“We’ll have to decide if we go back to the Beldame or wait for the Breeders’ Cup, and if we wait for the Breeders’ Cup we’re going to give strong consideration for the Classic,” Mott said.

Midnight Bisou and Elate both earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure.