Breeders' Cup Distaff | Horse Racing Free Tips

Serengeti Empress Up For The ‘Challenge,’ Faces Off With Midnight Bisou In Fleur De Lis

Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) winner Serengeti Empress is ready for her showdown versus 2019 Champion Midnight Bisou in Saturday's $200,000 Fleur de Lis presented by Coca-Cola (GII) at Churchill Downs – a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In Distaff Division” race.

“If you want to talk about a challenge, this is it,” trainer Tom Amoss said. “We face a challenge with champion Midnight Bisou. We have great respect for her but we also have a ton of confidence in our filly. Her preparation has been great for this race and we'll be ready.”

The speedy Serengeti Empress led every step of the way in last year's Kentucky Oaks. The daughter of Alternation's 3-year-old campaign included a narrow runner-up effort in the $500,000 Test (GI) and third-place finish in the Longines Distaff. In her 4-year-old campaign, Serengeti Empress was a convincing 6 ¼-length winner of the March 14 Azeri (GII).

The Fleur de Lis field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Go Google Yourself (Brian Hernandez Jr., Paul McGee, 8-1); Another Broad (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher, 12-1); Chocolate Kisses (Declan Carroll, Mark Casse, 12-1); Serengeti Empress (Joe Talamo, Amoss, 2-1); Midnight Bisou (Mike Smith, Steve Asmussen, 3-5); Red Dane (Corey Lanerie, Charlie LoPresti, 50-1); and Motion Emotion (Julien Leparoux, Richard Baltas, 15-1).

All horses will tote 120 pounds except Midnight Bisou and Serengeti Empress who will carry 124.

The Fleur de Lis – which means “Flower of the Lily” and honors the French symbol that is incorporated into the city of Louisville's Flag – will be run as Race 9 at 5:15 p.m. (all times Eastern). It will be televised live on NBC from 5-6 p.m.

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Champion Monomoy Girl Points To Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes On July 11

2018's Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Monomoy Girl will run next in the Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes on July 11 at Belmont Park, trainer Brad Cox told the Thoroughbred Daily News this week.

The 5-year-old daughter of Tapizar returned off nearly an 18-month layoff to win an allowance race at Churchill Downs on May 16, and was briefly under consideration for this Saturday's G2 Fleur De Lis Handicap over nine furlongs. Instead, Monomoy Girl will head to the one-turn mile of the Ruffian, and a meeting with last year's Champion Older Dirt Female Midnight Bisou will be delayed until later in the season.

“She's really training well and we feel like the one-turn mile at Belmont will really suit her well right now and it gives us plenty of time between races,” Cox told the TDN. “The race just make sense. She's coming off a very long layoff, and we have to keep that in mind. She was off a year and a half. It's not like this is her second race back after a three-month layoff.”

A winner of 10 of her 12 lifetime starts, Monomoy Girl's current earnings stand at just over $3 million. Her year-end goal is the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Cox said.

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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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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