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Next Stop Saratoga For Tom’s D’Etat, Midnight Bisou After Dominating Performances At Churchill Downs

G M B Racing's brilliant $500,000 Stephen Foster (Grade II) winner Tom's d'Etat along with Bloom Racing, Madaket Stables and Allen Racing's ultra-classy $200,000 Fleur de Lis (GII) hero Midnight Bisou both exited Saturday's races at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., in good shape and will head to Saratoga in the coming days for their eight-week meet, according to their respective connections.

“It was just an unbelievable day on Saturday,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said. “To draw off like that, and almost break the track record, was unreal. He ran a sub 36-second final three-eighths. You don't see many route horses in the country that are able to do that, especially as geared down as he was in the final stages.”

Tom's d'Etat cruised to a 4 ¼-length win in Saturday's Stephen Foster, a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In Classic Division” race for the $7-million Breeders' Cup Classic (GI), which is scheduled for Nov. 7 at Keeneland. His connections will have all Breeders' Cup pre-entry and entry fees covered for the season-ending championship race.

Just one race prior to Tom's d'Etat, 2019 Eclipse Award-winner Midnight Bisou stylishly returned to the winner's circle with an emphatic 8 ¼-length victory in the Fleur de Lis.

“I can't say enough how thankful we are to Jeff Bloom, Sol Kumin and the Allens for keeping this brilliant mare in training for this year,” said Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who had a busy Sunday morning working 13 horses beneath the Twin Spires.

By winning the Fleur de Lis, Midnight Bisou secured a “Win and You're In” berth to the $2-million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI) on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. The question remains if she will point toward the Distaff or the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic.

Asmussen and Stall's string of horses are expected to ship from Churchill Downs to Saratoga in the coming days. With the disrupted racing schedule around the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many trainers and jockeys are opting to remain in Kentucky for the summer and ship to Saratoga as necessary. Jockeys Tyler Gaffalione and Ricardo Santana Jr. are among the local riders expected to ride at Saratoga following Keeneland's Summer Meet which spans July 8-12.

Most of the other jockeys in the Churchill Downs riding colony such as Rafael Bejarano, James Graham, Florent Geroux, Brian Hernandez Jr., Chris Landeros, Corey Lanerie and Julien Leparoux plan to ride the summer at Ellis and ship out of town if necessary.

Many local trainers will keep their string of horses in training at Churchill Downs including typical Saratoga-goers D. Wayne Lukas and Dallas Stewart.

Several of the West-Coast trainers currently stabled at Churchill Downs, including Peter Miller and John Sadler, are planning to return to California for the Del Mar meet.

Chad Brown, who was a new addition to the Churchill Downs backstretch this spring, is planning on remaining stabled in Barn 26 throughout the summer and fall, according to his local assistant Whit Beckman. Brown will still be a very strong presence at Saratoga with the majority of his string based in New York.

The Kentucky racing circuit with shift to Ellis Park on Thursday, July 2-Sunday, July 5. Then, Keeneland will run their abbreviated Summer Meet from Wednesday, July 8-Sunday, July 12 before racing continues throughout the month of July and August at Ellis Park.

Racing at Churchill Downs will return on Tuesday, Sept. 1 for the start of Kentucky Derby Week.

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Quarantine Lifted On Belmont Barn After Suspect Horse Tests Negative For Equine Herpesvirus

Officials at the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) have removed the precautionary quarantine placed on Barn 37 at Belmont Park after test results for a horse with a suspected case of Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) came back negative.

Freudnme, a 4-year-old colt trained by Chris Englehart, exhibited fever and neurological symptoms on Saturday morning, which triggered a precautionary quarantine of all 37 horses stabled in Barn 37 at Belmont. In addition, heightened biosecurity measures were immediately implemented throughout the barn and all horses were monitored for fever and other symptoms.

All horses in Barn 37 were found to be afebrile and asymptomatic.

Following the negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which were performed at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., the precautionary quarantine has been lifted effective immediately. As a result, horses stabled in Barn 37 can enter races and train among the general population.

Freudnme is currently under the care of a private veterinarian and is being closely monitored. He last raced at Finger Lakes Racetrack in the Ontario County Stakes on June 24, 2019, where he finished second.

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‘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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Newspaperofrecord Caps Five-Win Day For Irad Ortiz Jr. With Frontrunning Just A Game Score

Klaravich Stables' Newspaperofrecord, undefeated as a juvenile en route to a score in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, continued a perfect start to her 4-year-old campaign with a commanding frontrunning score in the Grade 1, $250,000 Just a Game at one-mile over the Widener turf course on a rainy Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The 27th edition of the Just a Game capped a stakes-laden card that also featured the Grade 2, $250,000 New York, won by Mean Mary at 1 ¼ miles on the inner turf; the Grade 2, $150,000 True North for 4-year-olds and up going 6 ½ furlongs captured by Firenze Fire; and a 27-1 upset from Victim of Love in the Grade 3, $100,000 Vagrancy for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up sprinting 6 ½ furlongs on the main track.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, Newspaperofrecord was winless in three sophomore starts, but the daughter of Lope de Vega returned to form in her 4-year-old debut with a four-length gate-to-wire win in the Grade 3 Intercontinental on June 6 at Belmont.

Sent to post as the even-money second choice behind stablemate Uni, the reigning Champion Turf Female, Newspaperofrecord zipped to the lead out of post 3 under regular pilot Irad Ortiz, Jr. and marked the opening quarter-mile in 23.79 seconds on the turf labeled firm.

Newspaperofrecord continued to lead the charge down the backstretch, reaching the half-mile in 48.13 with Valedictorian in close pursuit followed by a large gap back to stablemates Regal Glory and Uni.

Uni, with Joel Rosario up, and Regal Glory, under Belmont Stakes-winning rider Manny Franco, launched their bids in tandem through the turn as Valedictorian faded with Newspaperofrecord's lead diminishing. Ortiz, sensing the pressure, took a quick peek back at the competition and asked his talented filly for more and she instantly responded with a tremendous turn of foot to separate herself from the competition.

Newspaperofrecord bounded effortlessly away from the field down the lane to secure the three-length length victory in a final time of 1:35.62. Multiple graded-stakes winner Beau Recall rallied from last to earn place by a half-length over Uni. Regal Glory, Zofelle, and Valedictorian rounded out the order of finish. Got Stormy was scratched.

The victory marked the fourth consecutive Just a Game win for Brown, who won previously with Antonoe [2017], A Raving Beauty [2018] and Rushing Fall [2019].

Brown said he was proud of the impressive effort from Newspaperofrecord on three week's rest.

“We trained her lightly and she has been training very relaxed. Last time, she was going really fast and was a little fresh,” said Brown. “Irad was confident that he could get her to rate a little bit. I loved our post today, off the fence a little bit. The last-minute showers didn't hurt us either. We all know that she likes a little juice in the ground. It was a good effort after three weeks. I was very proud of her. My team has done a great job with her. She's never looked better. She's training so comfortably in the mornings.”

Ortiz said Newspaperofrecord could continue to carry her speed even further going forward.

“She's doing good and has come back really good,” said Ortiz. “Going seven-eighths to a mile is good for her; she can go further, too, and I would not be afraid to go a mile and a sixteenth. I just followed Chad's instructions.”

Ortiz enjoyed a remarkable day at the races with five wins from 10 mounts on the 11-race card. He secured the early double with Sun Summers and Foolish Ghost and notched his third with Flying Finish in the day's fifth race ahead of a score in the Grade 2 True North with Firenze Fire.

The veteran rider, who leads the Belmont spring / summer meet with 27 wins, has earned Eclipse Award honors as Outstanding Jockey the past two seasons. He said the five-win day is a continuation of his dedication to excellence.

“It feels great. I have great support from all the owners and trainers. I'm so happy,” said Ortiz. “It's a dream and I'm working really hard because right now I'm on top in my career. I try to stay focused and try to do the right thing. It's big for me; anytime you can get five wins, it's amazing.”

His brother, Jose Ortiz, said he was pleased with the effort to rally from last-of-six aboard Beau Recall to complete the exacta.

“It was a great effort. I broke OK. She got into a good position and a good rhythm. It's really soft out there,” said Jose Ortiz. “I followed Uni the whole way around there and had a great trip. The winner is just a freak on the soft turf. She loves it.”

Rosario, aboard beaten favorite Uni, said his mare would have appreciated a contested pace.

“She went nice around there and I started making my move early. It looked like the pace wasn't fast,” said Rosario. “I knew there was soft ground. She tried really hard, but today was not her day. I think she needed the race.”

Newspaperofrecord began her career with victories in a Saratoga turf maiden event, the Grade 2 Miss Grillo at Belmont Park and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs by a combined 20 lengths. As a sophomore, the Lope de Vega bay completed the exacta in the Grade 3 Edgewood at Churchill Downs and the Grade 3 Wonder Again at Belmont ahead of an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational.

Bred in Ireland by Times of Wigan, Newspaperofrecord banked $137,500 in victory while improving her record to 8-4-2-0. She paid $4.10 for a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a nine-race card headlined by the $100,000 Bouwerie, a seven-furlong sprint for New York-bred sophomore fillies in Race 8 at 5:04 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:15 p.m.

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