Spawr high on Midnight Bisou ahead of Kentucky Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. – The brilliant 3-year-old filly Midnight Bisou is nearing the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 4 in a manner that leaves her 78-year-old trainer, Bill Spawr, in awe.

Spawr spoke glowingly of Midnight Bisou’s current condition on Sunday morning, a few hours after the filly worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 at Santa Anita before dawn.

“She’s getting better,” Spawr said. “She’s scary. Her bodyweight is right. She’s confident in the way she acts.”

Santa Anita clockers timed Midnight Bisou in 38 seconds for the first three furlongs and 23.60 seconds for the final quarter-mile. Spawr timed the final quarter-mile in 23.40 seconds and six furlongs in “1:13 and change.”

Midnight Bisou is unbeaten in three starts this year, all stakes, including a convincing win by 3 1/2 lengths in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles on April 7. The Kentucky Oaks is run at 1 1/8 miles.

Owned by Allen Racing and Bloom Racing Stable, Midnight Bisou has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $450,000. She was second by a nose in two races last year, losing a maiden race and the minor Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar to Dream Tree, the subsequent winner of the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos.

Dream Tree is currently sidelined and will not start in the Kentucky Oaks.

Also on Sunday, Paradise Woods, a two-time Grade 1 winner last year, breezed a half-mile in 47 seconds. Paradise Woods was fourth as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes on March 24 in her first start this year. She was given a brief rest in the weeks that followed before rejoining trainer Richard Mandella’s stable.

Mandella said on Sunday that Paradise Woods remains on schedule for the Grade 1 Beholder Mile for fillies and mares on June 2, but he has not ruled out the Grade 3 Adoration Stakes on May 6.

“There is a little thought about the other race,” he said, referring to the $100,000 Adoration Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. “I think I might take my time.”

Owned by Steve Sarkowsky and Marty and Pam Wygod, Paradise Woods has won 3 of 9 starts and earned $725,545. She won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks and Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes last year and was later third in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar last November.