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March To The Arch Out To Defend His Wise Dan Effort This Saturday At Churchill

Live Oak Plantation's 2019 Wise Dan (Grade II) winner March to the Arch will attempt a repeat victory in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile turf event but needs to rebound from a puzzling 10th-place effort in last month's Grade I Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita.

“I've only been around him for a little while but you'd have to assume he just didn't like it in California,” trainer Mark Casse's locally based assistant David Carroll said. “It was just such a puzzling effort where he didn't show much run at all. The thing of it is, his form in all of his previous races was very good. He's run some very nice efforts over the last year that if you draw a line through that race, he fits right in with this field. We know what he did in last year's race and hopefully he can run right back to that effort once again.”

Saturday's $200,000 Wise Dan presented by Ford (GII) is the featured event on the 11-race program and will go as Race 9 at 5:01 p.m. (all times Eastern) The race will share the stakes spotlight with the inaugural running of the $100,000 Audubon presented by TwinSpires.com at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-olds. The Audubon is carded as Race 6 at 3:25 p.m.

March to the Arch is the 5-1 third choice on the morning line behind multiple graded stakes winner Factor This (8-5) and stakes winner Parlor (9-2). March to the Arch is not a stranger to pulling off an upset; he won last year's Wise Dan at odds of 10-1 when he surged to the front past 2-1 favorite Admission Office. March to the Arch, a now 5-year-old son of Arch, finished a half-length in front of Parlor in last year's event.

Following his Wise Dan victory last June, March to the Arch was winless until he defeated Florida-breds on Jan. 18 in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione was aboard March to the Arch for 10 of his 21-career starts but he opted to ride Parlor in Saturday's race leaving the six-time winner in the hands of Florent Geroux.

The complete field for the Wise Dan from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Just Howard (Rafael Bejarano, Graham Motion, 10-1); English Bee (James Graham, Motion, 10-1); Factor This (Shaun Bridgmohan, Brad Cox, 8-5); Eons (Adam Beschizza, Arnaud Delacour, 50-1); Aquaphobia (Corey Lanerie, Mike Maker, 6-1); Ritzy A.P. (Declan Cannon, Jack Sisterson, 20-1); March to the Arch (Florent Geroux, Mark Casse, 5-1); Emmaus (IRE) (Brian Hernandez, Connor Murphy, 15-1); Casa Creed (Martin Garcia, Bill Mott, 15-1); Hembree (Gerardo Corrales, Maker, 12-1); and Parlor (Tyler Gaffalione, Maker, 9-2).

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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.

The post ‘Arguably The Best Horse In The World’: Midnight Bisou Ready For Next Saturday’s Fleur De Lis appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Factor This ‘A More Mature Horse,’ Takes On Field Of 10 Others In G2 Wise Dan

Gaining Ground Racing's three-time stakes winner Factor This will lead a field of 11 older horses that entered Saturday's 31st running of the $200,000 Wise Dan presented by Ford (Grade II) at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/8-mile Wise Dan, run on the Matt Winn Turf Course, will share the spotlight Saturday with the $100,000 Audubon presented by TwinSpires.com, a 1 1/8 miles turf test for 3-year-olds. The Wise Dan was carded as Race 9, while the Audubon will go as Race 6. First post is 1 p.m. (all times Eastern).

Factor This, a previous $62,500 claim in 2018, has won five races with trainer Brad Cox, including back-to-back stakes victories in the $150,000 Fair Grounds (GIII) and $300,000 Muniz Memorial (GII). The 5-year-old son of The Factor has been working consistently over the turf course at Churchill Downs with his pilot Shaun Bridgmohan aboard.

“He just looks like a more mature horse this year,” said Bridgmohan, following his half-mile move in :47.60 on June 7. “He's filled out and really gained a lot of size. Even from the Fair Grounds this winter he looks bigger here at Churchill.”

Factor This will try for his 10th career victory from post position No. 3.

Chief among the other rivals to Factor This is Live Oak Plantation's 2019 Wise Dan hero March to the Arch. Trained by Mark Casse, March to the Arch began his 2020 campaign with a victory in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park and back-to-back third-place finishes in the $175,000 Tampa Bay (GIII) and $100,000 Appleton (GIII). March to the Arch traveled to California for his last start in the $300,000 Shoemaker Mile (GI) but finished a disappointing 10th. Florent Geroux will be in the irons for the Wise Dan from post 7.

The complete field for the Wise Dan from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Just Howard (Rafael Bejarano, Graham Motion); English Bee (James Graham, Motion); Factor This (Bridgmohan, Cox); Eons (Adam Beschizza, Arnaud Delacour); Aquaphobia (Corey Lanerie, Mike Maker); Ritzy A.P. (Declan Cannon, Jack Sisterson); March to the Arch (Geroux, Casse); Emmaus (IRE) (Brian Hernandez, Connor Murphy); Casa Creed (Martin Garcia, Bill Mott); Hembree (Gerardo Corrales, Maker); and Parlor (Tyler Gaffalione, Maker).

The early National Weather Service forecast for Louisville calls for mostly sunny skies with highs in the low 90s.

For complimentary Brisnet past performances, visit www.churchilldowns.com/handicapping

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