The Longines Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park has a long, storied history as a significant race for 3-year-old fillies as it requires a combination of speed and stamina as a one-turn mile.
Tag: Racing
‘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.
Royal Ascot Day Three: Stradivarius Romps To Third Straight Gold Cup Victory
The third afternoon of racing at Royal Ascot was delivered over a rain-sodden course officially listed as soft, but that didn't stop Stradivarius from delivering a third straight victory in the Group 1 Gold Cup. Trained by John Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, Stradivarius recorded his fourth career win at the Royal meeting, having won the Queen's Vase in 2017.
Mid-pack for most of the 2 1/2-mile journey, Dettori swung the 6-year-old by Sea the Stars four-wide coming into the final stretch. Under a confident ride, Stradivarius responded immediately to Dettori's urging in the final furlong and pulled away to win by about 10 lengths.
SOUND UP: “I love him!”
We love him too, @FrankieDettori 🤩#RoyalAscot #Stradivarius pic.twitter.com/e1HBZGob8p
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 18, 2020
In the first race of the day, Highland Chief won the 10-furlong Golden Gates Handicap to give jockey Rossa Ryan a first Royal winner. It was also a first Royal Ascot success for a training partnership, permitted by the BHA since the resumption of racing on June 1, with Paul and Oliver Cole being responsible for handling Highland Chief. Paul Cole trained 21 Royal Ascot winners when solely responsible for the training licence.
Referring to the fact that he now shares the licence with his father Paul, Oliver said: “As the expression goes, if it's not broken, why try to fix it? We have got some good horses and we are very lucky to have them.
“Sadly, my father is at his best friend's funeral today [Ben Leigh], which is why he didn't come. I did say to him today I thought we'd get an Ascot winner.”
Jockey James Doyle bagged his third winner of the week as he superbly delivered the Roger Varian-trained Mountain Angel up the inside to comfortably take the day's second race, the Listed Wolferton Stakes over 10 furlongs.
Regarding the week as he has had so far, Doyle said: “You have to enjoy it. It is obviously a bit, well a lot, different from what we are used to here. I was watching the replays back last night and it all seemed a bit quiet. It is nice to ride a winner to try and liven things up a little bit! I am not Frankie, unfortunately, but it is nice to be standing here!”
Jockey Jim Crowley is enjoying a Royal Ascot to remember, and he recorded his fifth winner of the week when Molatham landed the G3 Jersey Stakes over seven furlongs by half a length from Monarch Of Egypt after a sustained battle. It was a double for trainer Roger Varian, and like all of Crowley's four previous winners this week, Molatham is owned by Hamdan Al Maktoum, to whom Crowley is retained jockey.
“I had six winners at Royal Ascot coming into this,” said Crowley. “I am not complaining though. When you are a jockey, you take one for the meeting, so to get five is great. I am very lucky to ride such nice horses and for such a big operation.”
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Lucky Move Takes Opening Day Obeah Stakes At Delaware Park
Ten Strike Racing's Lucky Move posted an upset victory in the $100,000 Obeah Stakes on the opening day card at Delaware Park today. The Obeah is the local prep for the Grade II Delaware Handicap to be run on July 11th.
With Roberto Rosado aboard, the daughter of Lookin At Lucky won by a 1 1/4-lengths and returned $87.60 as the second longest-shot in the field of eight. Vault, with Florent Geroux, finished second. It was another a 3-lengths farther back to the even-money favorite Lady Apple, with Ricardo Santana, Jr., in third. Lucky Move covered the mile and a sixteenth in 1:42.28 on a fast main track.
The Obeah Stakes was the first career stakes victory for the New York-bred conditioned by Juan Carlos Guerrero. She raised her career record to 5 wins from 27 starts with earnings of $264,573.
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