Steve Asmussen | Horse Racing Free Tips

$875K Into Mischief Colt Graduates in Churchill Unveiling

4th-Churchill Downs, $80,750, Msw, 6-27, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.70, ft.
WHISKEY DOUBLE (c, 2, Into Mischief–Lake Sebago {MSW, $243,225}, by Munnings), an $875,000 KEESEP buy, was sent off the 7-5 choice in this unveiling and settled in a stalking position as Medicine Tail (Kantharos) led through initial fractions of :21.81 and :45.78. Three wide turning for home, the Steve Asmussen trainee took aim in upper stretch and wore down the 7-2 shot late to score by 3/4 of a length. Windcracker (Super Saver) was third. The bay’s dam is MSW Lake Sebago (Munnings) and hails from the family of Canadian champion Hollinger (Black Minnaloushe). She produced a filly by Ghostzapper last season followed by a full-sister to Whiskey Double earlier this spring. Sales history: $875,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $45,064. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Phoenix Thoroughbred III and Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Buck Pond Farm, Inc. & Richard M. Seale (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.

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June 27 Insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

PAIR OF WELL-BRED DEBUTANTES IN CHURCHILL OPENER

1st-CD, $79K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:00p.m.

The appropriately named LUCKY FIND (Uncle Mo), a $50,000 KEESEP buy from a deep Helen Groves family, makes her career bow in this spot for Glen Hill Farm and Tom Proctor. Out of MSW Tea Time (Pulpit), the bay hails from the family of dual champion Covfefe (Into Mischief) and Grade I winners Arch (Kris S.) and Acoma (Empire Maker). Robert and Lawana Low homebred Sea Garden (Curlin) also debuts in this test. She is a half-sister to GSW Glenville Gardens (Street Cry {Ire}). Their dam is a daughter of GISW Marley Vale (Forty Niner), who also produced MGSW & MGISP Indian Vale (A.P. Indy). TJCIS PPs

ASMUSSEN UNVEILS PRICEY INTO MISCHIEF COLTS

4th-CD, $79K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:38p.m.

Pheonix Thoroughbred III and Winchell Thoroughbreds teamed up to acquire WHISKEY DOUBLE (Into Mischief) for $875,000 at Keeneland September and he makes his first trip to the post here for Steve Asmussen. The bay’s dam is MSW Lake Sebago (Munnings) and hails from the family of Canadian champion Hollinger (Black Minnaloushe). Asmussen also unveils another son of Into Mischief in WinStar and China Horse Club’s Holland. The $400,000 FTSAUG purchase is out of a half-sister to Argentinian champion Forty Greeta (Arg) (Roar) and GSW Honorable Dillon (Tapit). TJCIS PPs

MILLION-DOLLAR QUALITY ROAD DEBUTS AT BELMONT

6th-BEL, $64K, Msw, 3yo/up, 7fT, 3:59p.m.

Peter Brant and Three Chimneys Farm’s JOHNNYPUMP (Quality Road) makes his career bow in this test for trainer Chad Brown. His dam is a half to Grade I winner Spring Quality (Quality Road) and GSW Holiday Star (Harlan’s Holiday). This is also the family of MGSW & MG1SP Alice Springs (Val de l’Orne {Fr}). Also making his first trip to the post here is Patriot Game (Honor Code), who carries the same silks and hails from the same barn as his half-brother to GI Kentucky Derby and GI Florida Derby hero Orb (Malibu Moon). Their second dam is MGSW Mesabi Maiden (Cox’s Ridge). Trainer Shug McGaughey saddles another well-bred firster here in North Carolina (Speightstown). The Joe Allen homebred is out of SW Baroness Richter (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), who is also the dam of GSW Dream While (War Front) and SW Dear Lavinia (Grand Slam). TJCIS PPs

SEVEN-FIGURE INTO MISCHIEF MAKES CAREER BOW AT LOS AL

3rd-LRC, $40K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 4:58p.m.

Doug O’Neill unveils NOTRE DAME (Into Mischief), who summoned $1-million at FTFMAR after breezing in :10 flat. He is out of MSW & GSP Cor Cor (Smoke Glacken) and hails from the family of GSW Fancy Dress Party (Munnings). Neil Drysdale saddles a well-related firster in Thor-Bred Stable homebred Adare (Medaglia d’Oro). He is a half-brother to GSW Ocean Knight (Curlin) and MGSP Nero (Pioneerof the Nile). Bob Baffert also sends out two noteworthy first timers in Happy Hepo (American Pharoah) and Holden the Lute (Midnight Lute). Picked up for $300,000 at OBS March last year after working in :10 flat, Happy Hepo displays the upbeat worktab typical of aBaffert trainee, most recently breezing a best-of-20 five panels in :59 1/5 here June 19. His dam is GSP Heart of Paradise (More Than Ready). His stablemate, Pegram, Watson and Weitman homebred Holden the Lute, is a full-brother to MGSW Gimme Da Lute. TJCIS PPs

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Midnight Bisou Leading Charge Of The Asmussen Brigade On Churchill’s Closing Weekend

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen is poised to close the 2020 Churchill Downs Spring Meet on a charge with 15 horses entered in the final three days of racing including 2019 Champion Older Dirt Female Midnight Bisou (3-5 on the morning line) in the $200,000 Fleur de Lis (GII) and promising juvenile Cazadero (8-5) in the $100,000 Bashford Manor (GIII).

“We're very grateful to be able to run horses of this quality during this 'new normal,'” Asmussen said. “Even though the schedule of racing has been altered, we remain grateful to have horses like (Midnight Bisou) to be able to run in stakes races such as the Fleur de Lis.”

Saturday's 11-race program is highlighted by the $500,000 Stephen Foster (GII) but many racing fans will be focused on the Fleur de Lis with a star-studded matchup between Midnight Bisou and last year's Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Serengeti Empress.

“This has been an unprecedented year in more ways than one,” Asmussen said. “The (national) stakes schedule has not been as traditional as it used to be. We gave (Midnight Bisou) ample time to get over the trip and effort she put in at the world's richest horse race (the $20 million Saudi Cup) in February. She was quarantined in Chicago and eventually moved to Keeneland thereafter. Her time off lasted longer than expected, which wasn't ideal at the time but is now.”

Midnight Bisou (20-12-5-3—$7,250,000) has been nothing short of spectacular throughout her 20-race career. 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 Kentucky Oaks (GI).

“She's always been a beautifully kind filly to train,” Asmussen said. “She's become more confident in her training over the last two years.”

Saturday's Fleur de Lis is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In Distaff Division” series race. The winner will get an automatic berth to the season-ending championship race on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

“Her next two races will likely determine which (Breeders' Cup) race we could point toward,” Asmussen said. “We have constantly discussed where we are at with her training and progression but we know how well she performed against some of the world's best racehorses in Saudi.”

The Fleur de Lis field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Go Google Yourself (Brian Hernandez Jr., Paul McGee, 8-1); Another Broad (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher, 12-1); Chocolate Kisses (Declan Carroll, Mark Casse, 12-1); Serengeti Empress (Joe Talamo, Tom Amoss, 2-1); Midnight Bisou (Mike Smith, Asmussen, 3-5); Red Dane (Corey Lanerie, Charlie LoPresti, 50-1); and Motion Emotion (Julien Leparoux, Richard Baltas, 15-1).

Another top contender for the Asmussen barn entered Saturday is Stonestreet Stables' debut winner Cazadero in the Bashford Manor. The precocious 2-year-old son of Street Sense won his debut by 8 ¾ lengths at odds of 5-1. Asmussen's go-to rider Ricardo Santana Jr. will be in the irons for the six-furlong Bashford Manor, which will go as Race 8 on Saturday.

The Bashford Manor field, which features all first-out maiden winners, from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Crown and Coke (Miguel Mena, James Lawrence II, 30-1); Hulen (Corey Lanerie, Steve Asmussen, 5-1); Gatsby(Tyler Gaffalione, Juan Alvarado, 4-1); Hyperfocus (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher, 4-1); Herd Immunity (Brian Hernandez Jr., Peter Miller, 9-2); Cazadero (Ricardo Santana Jr., Asmussen, 8-5); and County Final (James Graham, John Ennis, 6-1).

Entering the final three days of the meet, Asmussen remained one win behind Dale Romans, 742-to-741, for the all-time leading trainer mark at Churchill Downs. Asmussen surpassed Romans' mark earlier in the meet but, in turn, Romans won five races in less than two weeks to retake his spot on top.

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Storm the Court Looks to Return to Winning Ways in Ohio Derby

Champion Storm the Court (Court Vision) seeks his first victory of the season in Saturday’s GIII Ohio Derby. Clinching the Eclipse award with a narrow upset at 45-1 in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the bay checked in fourth to recently retired GI Arkansas Derby winner Nadal (Blame) in the GII San Vicente S. Feb. 9. Third to recent GI Santa Anita Derby runner-up Authentic (Into Mischief) in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7, he was sixth in Nadal’s edition of the Arkansas Derby.

Steve Asmussen saddles a live one in Rowdy Yates (Morning Line), who is a three-time stakes winner at the listed level. Capturing the Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Jan. 26, the dark bay was fourth last time in the Saudi Derby Cup Feb. 29. The Hall of Famer also sends out Code Runner (Honor Code), who was eighth in Nadal’s Arkansas Derby and followed that effort with an allowance win at Lone Star June 8.

Lebda (Raison d’Etat) seeks his third straight score in this test. The dark bay took the Miracle Wood S. at Laurel Feb. 15 and roped in the Private Terms S. There Mar. 14.

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