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‘Arguably The Best Horse In The World’: Midnight Bisou Ready For Next Saturday’s Fleur De Lis

Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables and Allen Racing's 2019 Eclipse Award-winner Midnight Bisou completed her most serious preparation for next Saturday's $200,000 Fleur de Lis presented by Coca-Cola (Grade II) with a swift six-furlong move in 1:12 Monday morning at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Midnight Bisou has been well-traveled throughout her career with five Grade I victories and runner-up efforts in last year's $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI) and February's $20 million Saudi Cup.

“Her training before we went to Saudi was just mindboggling,” Asmussen said. “It's just like it is now. We still wonder how she's able to do it so easily and so consistently. Her works at Churchill have been beautiful. I was very tempted to run her in the (June 13) Ogden Phipps (GI) and leaving She's a Julie for the Fleur de Lis. I feel like with what she's done – traveling to Saudi, taking on older boys and everyone knows the trip she got and knows the circumstances… how do you have an adjective what she is and what she means to racing? Coming back, the next race isn't the goal for this year. The Breeders' Cup is. She is arguably the best horse in the world.”

Midnight Bisou's 20-race career has been nothing short of spectacular. The now 5-year-old mare began her career on the 2018 Road to the Kentucky Oaks with victories in the $200,000 Santa Ynez (GII), $100,000 Santa Ysabel (GIII) and $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks (GI) with previous trainer Bill Spawr. Midnight Bisou finished third behind Monomoy Girl in the 2018 Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).

Under the care of Asmussen, Bisou reeled off victories in the $250,000 Mother Goose (GII), $1 million Cotillion (GI), $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (GIII), $350,000 Azeri (GII), $750,000 Apple Blossom (GI), $700,000 Ogden Phipps (GI), $150,000 Molly Pitcher (GIII), $700,000 Personal Ensign (GI) and $300,000 Beldame (GII).

Midnight Bisou is slated to take on 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Serengeti Empress in the Fleur de Lis, which is part of a quartet of stakes next Saturday at Churchill Downs along with the $400,000 Stephen Foster presented by Coca-Cola (GII), $100,000 Regret presented by TwinSpires.com (GIII) and $100,000 Bashford Manor presented by TwinSpires.com (GIII).

The Fleur de Lis is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In Distaff Division” race while the Stephen Foster is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In Classic Division” event. This year's Breeders' Cup is scheduled for Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland.

Nominations for all four races are available online at www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen/stakes/nominations.

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Monmouth Park Offering $1-Million Incentive

Officials at Monmouth Park have announced that the track will reward the connections of any horse to sweep the GI TVG.com Haskell S., GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders’ Cup Classic a $1-million bonus.

The Haskell, the lone seven-figure Thoroughbred race in the state of New Jersey, will be renewed for the 53rd time July 18 as part of a stakes-filled program. For the first time, the race serves as a prep for the Sept. 5 Derby and offers Kentucky Derby points on a 100-40-20-10 scale.

The Breeders’ Cup Classic is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, at Keeneland Race Course. American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) won each of the three races in his Triple Crown season in 2015.

The COVID-19-delayed meeting at Monmouth Park kicks off Friday, July 3.

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Iowa HBPA Creates Two Assistance Programs For Trainers Impacted By Covid-19

With Prairie Meadows opening for horse racing Friday, the Iowa HBPA is offering two programs to help out its members feeling the economic squeeze from COVID-19 shutdowns.

Trainers can apply to receive up to $100 per Thoroughbred racehorse stabled at Prairie Meadows under the COVID-19 Horsemen's Assistance Program. The deadline to apply is 3 p.m. CT June 30.

In addition, the Iowa HBPA created the COVID-19 Dorm Room Assistance Program to help trainers cover expenses incurred during the pandemic while moving their operation to Prairie Meadows. Thoroughbred trainers may receive a loan of up to $300 per dorm room for their stable employees. Recipients agree to repay the money to the Iowa HBPA by Dec. 15, 2020.

“It boils down to free money and an interest-free loan,” said Iowa HBPA president Dave McShane. “We encourage all our Thoroughbred horsemen to apply for these programs. I don't know a trainer who can't use an extra $100 per horse, especially as a bridge until we're able to get into a stretch of unimpeded racing.”

Program applicants must be members of the Iowa Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association, which represents Thoroughbred owners and trainers racing in the Hawkeye State.

“Trainers incur considerable expenses every time they ship to the next town,” said Iowa HBPA executive director Jon Moss. “We are trying to help defray those costs, which have been exacerbated by the health and economic emergency. Given the difficult spring with many tracks shut down for long stretches, a lot horsemen don't have on hand the extra hundreds and in some cases thousands of dollars needed to secure dorm rooms for their grooms and hotwalkers. So we're providing interest-free loans to assist with that up-front money needed to provide on-track housing for our horsemen's employees.”

More information and application forms

Prairie Meadows' thoroughbred and quarter-horse meet runs Friday through Oct. 11.

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Two-Day Pick 5: Belmont Stakes To Anchor Special Wager Over Friday, Saturday Cards

A special two-day Pick 5 wager, with a $1 base minimum and culminating with the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes, will be offered by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) on Friday, June 19.

The 152nd renewal of the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes will take place on Saturday, June 20, as the first leg of the Triple Crown series, a historic first for the crown jewel of thoroughbred racing. Traditionally run at 1 1/2-miles, this year's edition of the Belmont Stakes, to be conducted without spectators, will be contested at nine furlongs and broadcast live from 2:45 to 6:00 p.m. Eastern on NBC, the exclusive broadcast partner of the Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown.

First post time on the 12-race Belmont Stakes Day card is 11:45 a.m. Eastern with the featured race, the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, slated for Race 10.

The Belmont Stakes two-day Pick 5, with a low 15 percent takeout and mandatory payout, begins in Race 7 on Friday at 4:32 p.m. Eastern with a seven-furlong optional-claiming sprint on the Widener turf course for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up which drew field of 11, including one main-track only entrant.

The sequence continues in Friday's Race 9 (5:36 p.m.) with the $80,000 Sir Cat, a six-furlong turf sprint for sophomores featuring the stakes-winning duo of Jack and Noah and Old Chestnut for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

The Belmont Stakes two-day Pick 5 wager continues on Saturday in Race 8 at 4:15 p.m. with the Grade 1, $300,000 Longines Acorn, a one-turn mile for sophomore fillies led by Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse's Grade 1-winner Perfect Alibi and rising star Gamine, who ships in from California for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.

The penultimate leg, the Grade 1, $250,000 Jaipur, presented by America's Best Racing, in Race 9 at 4:53 p.m. will see a field of eight 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on turf, chasing a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint via the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The sequence concludes with the 152nd running of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in Race 10 at 5:42 p.m. Multiple Grade 1-winning New York-bred Tiz the Law, trained by Barclay Tagg for Sackatoga Stable, headlines a talented field of 10. Tiz the Law will face steep competition from the Todd Pletcher-trained duo of Dr Post and Farmington Road as well as the late-running Sole Volante.

Full advance wagering for the 12-race Belmont Stakes Day card will be available on Friday, June 19.

NYRA Bets is the official online wagering site for the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes, and the best way to bet the 2020 Belmont Park spring/summer meet. Available to customers across the United States, NYRA Bets allows horseplayers to watch and wager on racing from tracks around the world at any time. The NYRA Bets app is available for download for iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

For more information, please visit http://www.belmontstakes.com.

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