Churchill Downs | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Just An Amazing Mare,’ Midnight Bisou Wins Fleur De Lis In A Laugher

Midnight Bisou, the 2019 Champion Older Dirt Female by Midnight Lute, proved her class was undeniable when she powered past speedy pacesetter and last year's Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress leaving the far turn and easily drew away in the stretch for a widening 8 1/4-length win over Motion Emotion in Saturday's 45^th running of the $200,000 Fleur de Lis (Grade II) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Under the care of Hall of Fame duo trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Mike Smith, Midnight Bisou ran 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:48.99. By winning the Fleur de Lis, she secured a “Win and You're In” berth to the $2-million Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI) on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. But will she run in the Distaff or Breeders' Cup Classic against open company?

Earlier this year on Feb. 29, Midnight Bisou was beaten just three-quarters of a length by Maximum Security in the inaugural $20-million Saudi Cup, which featured a field of 14 at 1 1/8 miles in the world's richest horse race at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

“She's a really special mare,” said Asmussen, who won four races Saturday to take a 746-to-742 lead over Dale Romans for most wins by a trainer at Churchill Downs in the track's storied history. “To come back, in that sort of style, is just tremendous. She has such an amazing talent and such a great relationship with Mike. She beat a wonderful-looking group of mares. We have nothing but respect towards them.”

Serengeti Empress, as expected, dictated the pace in the field of seven fillies and mares through swift fractions of :23.18, :46.15 and 1:09.74. She widened to a three-length advantage nearing the far turn but champion Midnight Bisou had her in sight throughout. The winner began to move near the five-sixteenths pole with a three-wide move, easily took command at the top of the lane and drew off in the stretch under a complete hand ride.

“She's just an amazing mare,” Smith said. “I actually had took the lead a little before I wanted to. We were planning on laying a little bit closer but the way Serengeti Empress was winging it on the front end we were a little further back. She's just incredibly special.”

Midnight Bisou, the 1-2 favorite in the wagering, paid $3, $2.60 and $2.10. Motion Emotion, with jockey Julien Leparoux aboard, paid $10.20 and $5.20. Another Broad, ridden by John Velazquez. finished third another 1 ½ lengths back of the runner-up and returned $5.

Serengeti Empress, Red Dane (ITY), Go Google Yourself and Chocolate Kisses rounded out the field.

Midnight Bisou improved her record to 21-13-5-3 boosting her career earnings of a whopping $7,371,520. She was bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds.

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Harvey’s Lil Goil Ekes Out Regret Win Over Crystal Cliffs

Harvey's Lil Goil was able to hold off the late surge of Crystal Cliffs (FR) to win Saturday's 51^strunning of the $100,000 Regret (Grade III) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden by Martin Garcia, Harvey's Lil Goil covered the 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:47.70.

In the early stages of the race, 17-1 longshot Eve of War took command of the field of 13 three-year-old fillies through opening fractions of :23.26 and :47.48. Harvey's Lil Goil tracked just off the pace of Eve of War on the outside of In Good Spirits. Harvey's Lil Goil took control of the lead at the head of the stretch following three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.80 but had to fend off the late charge of 6-5 favorite Crystal Cliffs.

Just outside of the sixteenth-pole, Crystal Cliffs, under John Velazquez, dove to the inside rail past the tiring Eve of War but just missed getting to Harvey's Lil Goil by a head at the wire.

“I thought we were in a little bit of trouble when Johnny dove to the rail,” Mott's assistant trainer Kenny McCarthy said. “However, when she got to her late in the stretch, she was able to fight back.”

Harvey's Lil Goil rewarded her backers with payouts of $24.20, $7.60 and $5.40. Crystal Cliffs returned $3.20 and $3 and In Good Spirits paid $6.20.

With her victory in the Regret, Harvey's Lil Goil boosted her career earnings to $154,529. The homebred-daughter of American Pharoah sports an overall record of 5-3-0-0. She races for the estate of her breeder, Harvey Clarke, and Paul Braverman.

Pass the Plate, Dominga, Stunning Sky, Hendy Woods, Micheline, Eve of War, Wexx, Edgee Angel, Witez and His Glory completed the order of finish.

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American Pharoah’s Harvey’s Lil Goil Takes the GIII Regret

On a day of stellar open-length graded performances under the Twin Spires on the dirt, Harvey’s Lil Goil reminded us that the grass can be just as exciting as she gave a heart-stopping performance to win by a head. One of several in the field of 13 who already had black-type experience, the gray was prominent early and always up with the leaders, keenly tracking longshot Eve of War (Declaration of War) from the outside behind fractions of :23.26 and :47.48. Harvey’s Lil Goil collared that one at the quarter pole and powered to the front while a pesky Crystal Cliffs ducked to the inside and tested her to the wire. The Bill Mott trainee never relented, holding on by that determined head and paying a generous $24.20. It was her first time on the lawn since a fourth-place finish in her debut last November.

Breaking her maiden second time out Dec. 12 by six lengths going a mile at Aqueduct, Harvey’s Lil Goil stayed in New York for a subsequent 7 1/2-length score in the Busanda S. Feb. 2. She reappeared May 1 in Oaklawn’s GIII Fantasy S., but never factored throughout the race and finished well behind in 11th.

Pedigree Notes:
Harvey’s Lil Goil is from a family developed by her breeder, the late Harvey A. Clarke. Her dam, the unraced Gloria S., is a half-sister to the Clarke-bred champion I’ll Have Another (Flower Alley), best known as the winner of the 2012 GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. Clarke also bred the same family’s Golden Award (Medaglia d’Oro), a dual graded stakes winner last year. Clarke’s estate still owns Gloria S., who produced fillies by Cairo Prince the last two breeding seasons. Harvey’s Lil Goil is one of seven black-type winners from the first crop of American Pharoah and the fifth graded winner by the Triple Crown victor. Interestingly, four of his five graded winners have been on the turf, with the lone dirt graded winner being last week’s G3 Unicorn S. winner Cafe Pharoah in Japan.

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Tom’s D’Etat Gains Breeders’ Cup Classic Spot With Stephen Foster Triumph

Gayle Benson's 7-year-old Tom's d'Etat ($4.60) took control at the top of the stretch and swept to a 4 ¼-length victory under Miguel Mean in Saturday's Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and earned an automatic berth into the $7-million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 6-7.

Tom's d'Etat, a bay Kentucky-bred son of Smart Strike trained by Al Stall Jr., completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.30, which is the second fastest time in the history of the Stephen Foster. It was his fourth consecutive win, following victories last year in the Fayette (G2) at Keeneland, the Clark (G1) at Churchill Downs, and this year in the Oaklawn Mile at Oaklawn Park on April 11.

Tom's d'Etat, joins Capital System's Mozu Ascot, winner of the February Stakes (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 23, as the first two horses to earn automatic berths into the Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 ¼ miles at Keeneland.

Benson, who races under the name of GMB Racing, is the owner of the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans.

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