Velazquez to ride Midnight Bisou in Beldame

ELMONT, N.Y. – With Mike Smith staying in Southern California to ride leading Breeders’ Cup Classic hopeful McKinzie in the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again at Santa Anita, John Velazquez has picked up the mount on Midnight Bisou for Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park.

Smith has ridden Midnight Bisou in 14 of her 17 races, including all six of her graded stakes victories this year. Velazquez rode Midnight Bisou in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff. where she finished third.

“We’re fine with Johnny on her,” owner Jeff Bloom said. “Obviously, Johnny’s an extremely capable Hall of Fame jockey. It just turned out Mike had the conflict and we had to make a decision.”

Midnight Bisou worked four furlongs in 49.81 seconds on Sunday at Saratoga and she vanned down to Belmont Park on Monday.

As of Monday, the Beldame field had only Midnight Bisou and Wow Cat as confirmed runners. Spring to the Wind is likely to run, according to owner Ron Paolucci, who also mentioned Heavenhasmynikki as a possible supplemental entrant. Gotham Gala and Crimson Frost are also possible.