Serengeti Empress takes on division's queen in Fleur de Lis

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Serengeti Empress will be looking to rebound off an 11th-place finish when she faces heavily favored Midnight Bisou in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis on Saturday.

Serengeti Empress never saw the lead as the favorite in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 18 at Oaklawn Park and beat a steady retreat. Duly regrouped since then, the speedy 4-year-old filly has breezed five times toward this 1 1/8-mile race.

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“We know how she likes to go, and that’s to be on the lead,” said Tom Amoss, who trains the Alternation filly for Joel Politi. “The way our horse has prepared for this race has us very confident she’ll put in a great performance.”

Motion Emotion and Chocolate Kisses may have enough early speed to keep her honest, but if not, Serengeti Empress looms a wire-to-wire danger. She has won several major races with that brazen style, most notably the 2019 Kentucky Oaks.

“We have all the confidence in the world in her,” said Amoss.