Midnight Bisou flies to Mother Goose triumph

MIDNIGHT BISOU returned to her winning ways in style on Saturday by running away with the $237,500 Mother Goose Stakes (G2) under jockey Mike Smith. Making her first start for new trainer Steve Asmussen, the Midnight Lute filly was six lengths clear on the wire to return $2.90 as the 2-5 favorite.

Smith allowed Midnight Bisou to track the pacesetting Road to Victory through splits of :23.79, :46.87 and 1:10.87, but there was no holding back the dark bay miss as she collared that rival rounding the bend. Already a length up upon hitting the lane, Midnight Bisou continued motoring to be well clear in a final time of 1:41.02 for 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track.

Road to Victory filled the runner-up spot, 1 1/4 lengths in front of My Miss Lilly. Indy Union brought up the rear following the scratches of Coach Rocks, Gio Game and Mo Smart.

Midnight Bisou entered the Mother Goose off a third-place finish as the 2-1 favorite in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs on May 4. Then trained by Bill Spawr, the sophomore lass didn’t get a clean break in the Run for the Lilies, found herself near the rear of the 14-strong field but still rallied seven wide to be third on the wire, beaten 4 1/4 lengths.

Campaigned by Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Allen Racing LLC, Midnight Bisou brought a three-race win streak into the Kentucky Oaks. She broke her maiden in the Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) in her seasonal bow before capturing the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) and Santa Anita Oaks (G1).

Now boasting a 7-4-2-1, $691,000, career record, Midnight Bisou just missed by a nose in both of her juvenile starts, a Santa Anita Park maiden and the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar.

Bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds, the dark bay filly is out of the Grade 3-winning Repent mare Diva Delite. This is the same female family as Grade 1 heroine Pirate’s Revenge as well as Broodmare of the Year Sweet Life, who produced both champion Sweet Catomine and Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (G1) vixen Life is Sweet.

Earlier on Belmont’s Saturday program, Team Valor International’s LA SARDANE wired the $100,000 Perfect Sting Stakes under jockey Flavien Prat by a half-length. The French-bred four-year-old daughter of Kingsalsa ran a mile on the firm Widener turf in 1:33.19 for trainer Neil Drysdale to score her third straight victory.

MOTHER GOOSE QUOTES

Mike Smith, jockey Midnight Bisou, winner

"I've got goose bumps – Mother Goose bumps. I had a feeling she'd like it out here as well and she was really good today. She was really unlucky (last out) in the (Kentucky) Oaks. I still feel horrible but I couldn't do anything about it. She just got knocked down leaving there and it was just unfortunate because she would've made it a race. I'm not saying she would have won, but man, that would've been a horse race. I'd like to have seen that, but I got really bothered twice. I thought it really hindered her chances, and (we) only get beat (by) four lengths.

"I'm just really happy. She ran like I know she's capable of. She's getting better. (Trainer) Steve (Asmussen) and his team has done a great job with her and (former trainer) Bill (Spawr) did a great job with her. I just get on her. We were unbeaten until last time. They've done a great job of just keeping her happy. She's growing, she's getting better, starting to fill out more. She was young coming up and now she's getting older and more mature. That's what happens when they've got that kind of talent."

Scott Blasi, assistant trainer Midnight Bisou, winner

"She came to us in great condition from (former trainer) Bill Spawr. She's been a pleasure to be around. Very easy to train, does more when you need her to and does things effortlessly like the good ones do. We'll see how she comes out of this tomorrow and she'll move up to Saratoga this week with our barn. We're starting to move horses in there right now and we're excited about this summer and the fall ahead with this filly. I think she's capable of major things."