Steve Asmussen | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Nothing Has Been Typical This Year,’ But Asmussen Ready To Chase Training Title At Ellis Park

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen shoots for his fourth training title in five years at the RUNHAPPY Summer Meet at Ellis Park, which opens Thursday and concludes Aug. 30.

Ellis Park runs Thursday through Sunday, then takes next week off in order to let Keeneland Race Course make up five days and many of the Lexington track's biggest stakes races from its canceled April meet. Ellis then resumes July 17 with its Friday through Sunday format, closing a week earlier than normal in order to let Churchill Downs conduct a delayed Kentucky Derby Week.

Asmussen comes into Ellis Park off a record-setting Churchill Downs session. While collecting a record 23rd training title at Churchill Downs, Asmussen also replaced Dale Romans as the all-time win leader under the Twin Spires, now by a 747-744 margin.

Asmussen hadn't raced regularly at Ellis Park in years when he created a large division at Kentucky's second-oldest racetrack in 2016, lured by increasing purses and a good racing surface. He promptly won the Ellis training title in that year, followed by 2017 and 2019, with Brad Cox winning in 2018. When Asmussen regained the crown last year by a 24-18 victory margin over Cox, he also came away with the distinction of being the meet's leading owner with five wins.

“Everything is different this year,” Asmussen said last week, referencing life in the COVID-19 era while adjusting the protective mask on his face as he stood outside of Churchill Downs. “It's going to take us a while to get the right horses there to run. I'm anxious to see what races go, who you'll be able to run. Nothing has been typical this year with anywhere we are running now.

“Purses have taken a hit everywhere, pretty much, very few exceptions to that. We are running the same horse for a little less money, but the pandemic caused that financial situation in a lot of things. We should be represented in most categories there. It is a bit different with Keeneland running five days in there, (with) their traditional stakes. We run a couple of days at Ellis, then five days at Keeneland then we resume. I think once we get through the Keeneland meet and you get horses moved back around, we'll have the right horses to run there.”

Each win at Ellis this summer will bring Asmussen a step closer to a goal he has long coveted: being the winningest thoroughbred trainer in history. He currently has 8,889 wins in a career dating to 1986, trailing only the late Dale Baird by 556, which puts Asmussen on pace to take over the lead next year.

Asked about not being shy in wanting to be No. 1 all-time, Asmussen laughed and said, “As opposed to not be? You do. We're blessed with opportunity. I feel we should win a lot more than we do already, and hopefully we'll correct that soon.”

Asmussen can get off to a fast start this meet in his defense of both his trainer and owner's titles, with a horse in three of the first four races Thursday, two of whom he owns. In the fourth race, Asmussen will send out Three Chimneys' first-time starter Fuego Caliente, the 7-5 favorite in the field of eight 2-year-olds. Fuego Caliente is a son of champion Will Take Charge, who stands in stud at Three Chimneys Farm in Woodford County. His mom is the Hook and Ladder mare Noble Fire, whose four winners from her first four foals to race include female sprint champion and $1.5 million-earner La Verdad and Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks winner Hot City Girl.

Asmussen has high praise for Ellis' track surface, which always has been known as a very good, safe surface, with former Keeneland track superintendent Javier Barajas taking over its care this year.

“We've been stabled at Ellis Park for a couple of weeks now, and I'm extremely pleased with the surface,” Asmussen said. “I think it's better than it's ever been.”

The trainer said he expects to be in the Aug. 9 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby, whose purse was doubled to $200,000 and distance extended to 1 1/8 miles. The winner will receive 50 points toward qualifying for the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby, almost assuredly guaranteeing a spot in the 20-horse starting gate for America's most famous race.

“I have horses I do plan running there,” Asmussen said. “I'm not positive who I plan on running, but we will run at least one. I think unprecedented is the situation we're in right now: Who you will run that may need points to secure your spot (in the Derby), or the fact that it is simply a good financial spot for who you have has yet to be determined. With having already run the Belmont Stakes, it's just a very different time for horse racing.”

Asmussen's Ellis Park operation is overseen by assistant trainer Mitch Dennison.

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With Dominant Performance, Midnight Bisou Retains Her Crown In NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll

Champion Midnight Bisou further stamped her divisional superiority when she cruised to victory in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 27, a performance that allowed the daughter of Midnight Lute to continue her reign in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) Top Thoroughbred Poll.

In her first start since running second in the $20 million Saudi Cup on February 29, Midnight Bisou scored an 8 ¼-length triumph in the Fleur de Lis over a field that included 2019 Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress. That victory earned the 2019 Eclipse Award heroine for champion older dirt female 25 first-place votes and 390 points this week to retain the top spot in the poll, a position she has held since March 10.

“I can't say enough how thankful we are to (owners) Jeff Bloom, Sol Kumin and the Allens for keeping this brilliant mare in training for this year,” Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who conditions Midnight Bisou, told the Churchill Downs publicity team.

Midnight Bisou was not alone in uncorking an emphatic performance beneath the Twin Spires this past weekend. G M B Racing's Tom's d'Etat drew off to a 4 ¼-length victory over By My Standards in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes to move up to second in the poll with 9 first-place votes and 347 points. The Stephen Foster marked the fourth consecutive victory for Tom's d'Etat, who earned a fees-paid berth into this year's Breeders' Cup Classic.

Grade 1-winner Mucho Gusto (217 points) holds in third with Code of Honor (4 first-place votes, 206 points) sitting fourth ahead of his expected run in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on July 4. By My Standards (180 points) drops to fifth followed by leading 3-year-old male Tiz the Law (3 first-place votes, 123 points) and Zulu Alpha (119 points). Vekoma (116 points), Maximum Security (3 first-place votes, 90 points), and Improbable (85) round out the top 10.

As evidenced by his status as the lone sophomore runner ranked in the top 10 of the Thoroughbred Poll, Tiz the Law remains the clear leader of the NTRA Top Three-Year-Old Poll.

The Belmont Stakes winner earned 40 first-place votes and 409 points to maintain his lead position. Trained by Barclay Tagg, Tiz the Law is expected to make his next start in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes on August 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (1 first-place vote, 367 points) remains second followed by graded-stakes winner Authentic (276 points) and Belmont Stakes runner-up Dr Post (223).

King Guillermo (200 points) held in fifth with Grade 1 Acorn Stakes winner Gamine (138) in sixth.

Grade 1-winner Charlatan (105 points) is seventh followed by Max Player (97), Swiss Skydiver (71) and Maxfield (66) to complete the top 10.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in both the Top 3-Year-Old Poll and the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through the conclusion of the Breeders' Cup in November.

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Options Galore For Ogden Phipps Winner She’s A Julie’s Next Start

Owner Peter Bradley of Bradley Thoroughbreds said Grade 1 Ogden Phipps winner She's a Julie has several options in play following her triumph in the 1 1/8-mile event on June 13 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the daughter of Elusive Quality is “50-50” for the Grade 2, $400,000 Delaware Handicap on July 11 at Delaware Park according to Bradley, who owns She's a Julie in partnership with Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron, Denali Stud, Rigney Racing and Madaket Stables.

Other options for the two-time Grade 1-winning millionaire include the Grade 3, $250,000 Molly Pitcher on July 18 at Monmouth Park, or to train up to the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on August 1 at Saratoga.

“We're looking at it,” Bradley said of the Delaware Handicap. “As Steve says, we'll let her tell us, but we've marked that, the Molly Pitcher or maybe even wait until the Personal Ensign.”

She's a Julie posted her first breeze since the Ogden Phipps on Sunday morning, working five furlongs in 1:02.48 over the Belmont main track.

She's a Julie was a 14-1 upset winner of the Ogden Phipps where she made a three-wide move under urging from jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. and nosed out graded stakes winner Point of Honor for the win.

“She gives it her all every time and is a bit of a grinder,” said Bradley. “The race set up with speed in front of her and that's when she's at her best. She's been training well, couldn't be happier with her.”

She's a Julie made amends in the Ogden Phipps following a disappointing sixth in her 2020 bow in the Shawnee at Churchill Downs, where she hopped at the start, got out of position and came up empty.

“The way she hit the gate that day and got out of position, she was a lost cause from there on out,” Bradley said. “She's a big, strong filly and Ricardo did the right thing that day and wrapped up on her. As Steve said, put a line through that race. What she's got is a heart that's twice as big as she is and she's a very big horse.”

She's a Julie boasts lifetime earnings of $1,187,880 and boasts five graded stakes victories, all of which have taken place over different tracks.

Bradley found more Belmont success when Captain Bombastic took the Mike Lee on June 14 for trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

Bradley purchased the Forty Tales New York-bred for $80,000 on behalf of Team Hanley at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale last March.

“He was a balanced and very athletic looking horse,” Bradley said. “He moved across the ground well, galloped out nicely and just did all the things you want him to do. Forty Tales isn't really a household name as a stallion, but we had a price point we were looking at it. The one turn is really what he wants.”

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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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