Second time in Personal Ensign may be the charm for Elate

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Last year’s Personal Ensign Stakes still irks trainer Bill Mott.

In that race, the Mott-trained Elate was bumped in deep stretch by Abel Tasman, ridden by Mike Smith, and was beaten a neck. Mott also believes – and points to a photo he saw well after the race and still keeps – that Smith extended his right boot just enough to touch Elate and, in concert with the bump, knocked her off stride. The stewards dismissed a claim of foul by Jose Ortiz, the rider of Elate, and Abel Tasman remained the winner.

“I’m still agitated by it every time I think about it,” Mott said this week. “The fact that it happened, and the call. I think Mike knew exactly what he was doing. I don’t think his horse was out of control.”

Saturday, Elate is back for another try at the Grade 1, $700,000 Personal Ensign at Saratoga. She will meet division leader Midnight Bisou – ridden by Smith – who has already defeated Elate twice this year, in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes and Grade 1 Apple Blossom, both at Oaklawn Park. Those races were at 1 1/16 miles. The Personal Ensign is at 1 1/8 miles, a distance Midnight Bisou has yet to win at.

“I’d rather face her at a mile and an eighth than a mile and a sixteenth, we’ve proven that,” Mott said.

Last year, Elate came into the Personal Ensign having had just one race in 9 1/2 months. This year, Elate has had four races and comes in off a wins in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis at Churchill and the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap, her second consecutive victory in that 1 1/4-mile race.

“She should be plenty fit,” Mott said.

Elate breaks from post 4 under Jose Ortiz.

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Midnight Bisou has put together a championship résumé already this year. She has won five graded stakes including two Grade 1’s – the Apple Blossom and the Ogden Phipps – and is coming off a one-length victory in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park on July 20. That was the hot day at Monmouth Park when the races, including the Grade 1 Haskell, were postponed from the afternoon to early evening.

Asmussen felt Midnight Bisou handled the circumstances of Haskell Day fine and has trained well since. Asmussen notes that two of Midnight Bisou’s six losses have come at Saratoga, including a second in the Coaching Club American Oaks and a well-beaten third in the Alabama last year.

“How hot it was the last time she ran is I don’t think near the concern as the fact she has not run her ‘A’ race at Saratoga yet,” Asmussen said.

Asmussen does not seem too concerned about the fact Midnight Bisou is undefeated at 1 1/16 miles, but winless at 1 1/8 miles and beyond. In noting her third in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Asmussen said, “She was closing late and looked like she needed more ground.”

Midnight Bisou, who breaks from the rail, is the 124-pound highweight, conceding 2 to 6 pounds to the field, including 4 to Elate.

Mott and Asmussen both have other horses in the race. Mott sends out Golden Award, who won her first stakes race earlier this meet, taking the Grade 3 Shuvee by 2 1/4 lengths on July 21. She set the pace that day, but is likely to come from off of it Saturday with the likes of Coach Rocks and She’s a Julie in the field.

Asmussen trains She’s a Julie, who won the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill in May before finishing third to Elate in the Fleur de Lis and third behind Golden Award in the Shuvee.

“She needs to pick up the pace a little bit. She doesn’t quicken, she’s a grinder,” Asmussen said of She’s a Julie. “I think she’d benefit from doing a little more with her early. The works she’s put in since the Shuvee make me feel like she’s going to be up to it.”

Coach Rocks may have run the best race of her career in Molly Pitcher, finishing a length behind Midnight Bisou after setting the pace.

Wow Cat was third in last year’s Personal Ensign, but came back to win the Grade 1 Beldame at Belmont and run a dynamite second in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. In her only start this year, she finished second to Golden Award in the Shuvee.

The Personal Ensign, which goes as race 9 (4:12 p.m. Eastern) is a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.