Midnight Bisou a “Game Changer”

[Wandering Eyes]

Jeff Bloom knows that he won’t own Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) much longer. After the Horse of the Year candidate starts in the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Bloom’s syndicate, Bloom Racing LLC, and its partners will sell her at Fasig-Tipton’s Nov. 5 November Sale, the Night of Stars. But for her primary owner, the memories and thrills of what she has done on the track will never fade.

And someday, her new owner may be saying the same things.

“Midnight Bisou is a game changer,” Bloom said. “I mean, things had been going pretty well for us in terms of the work that we do and the different things that we’re involved with, but there’s no question that Midnight Bisou elevated our brand and the awareness around Bloom Racing. You could never buy that kind of attention or exposure. For us internally, we recognize how fortunate we are to be involved in this experience and what Midnight Bisou has done for all of us and the racing community. So, I’d say it’s been pretty special.”

That Midnight Bisou, who will be 7-for-7 on the year entering the Breeders’ Cup, will be just 4 when sold makes a rare opportunity for the buyer. The new owner may want to breed her, but he or she will certainly give strong consideration to keeping her in training.

“The thing that’s really exciting, from a perspective of going to the auction, is her racing potential next year,” said Fasig-Tipton President and CEO Boyd Browing Jr. “She’s just four and she’s had a remarkable season this year. The possibilities, when you think about it, of what could she accomplish next year based on her performance last year and this year are pretty remarkable. I mean can you dream about competing against the boys in a race like the (GI) Pegasus World Cup? Possibly. Could you have an opportunity to potentially replicate another championship season?

{"id":3,"instanceName":"Articles No Playlist","videos":[{"videoType":"HTML5","title":"Midnight Bisou A Star Among Stars","description":"","info":"","thumbImg":"","mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/363566081.sd.mp4?s=5b037bbc94640e689fc69c0ae10021a3dd088d9a&profile_id=165","enable_mp4_download":"no","prerollAD":"yes","prerollGotoLink":"prerollGotoLink","preroll_mp4_title":"preroll_mp4_title","preroll_mp4":"https://player.vimeo.com/external/348675150.sd.mp4?s=f30cdebf7dc0718fed3800070a46c5cfb170794c&profile_id=164","prerollSkipTimer":"5","midrollAD":"no","midrollAD_displayTime":"midrollAD_displayTime","midrollGotoLink":"midrollGotoLink","midroll_mp4":"midroll_mp4","midrollSkipTimer":"midrollSkipTimer","postrollAD":"no","postrollGotoLink":"postrollGotoLink","postroll_mp4":"postroll_mp4","postrollSkipTimer":"postrollSkipTimer","popupAdShow":"no","popupImg":"popupImg","popupAdStartTime":"popupAdStartTime","popupAdEndTime":"popupAdEndTime","popupAdGoToLink":"popupAdGoToLink"}],"instanceTheme":"light","playerLayout":"fitToContainer","videoPlayerWidth":720,"videoPlayerHeight":405,"videoRatio":1.7777777777778,"videoRatioStretch":true,"videoPlayerShadow":"effect1","colorAccent":"#000000","posterImg":"","posterImgOnVideoFinish":"","logoShow":"No","logoPath":"","logoPosition":"bottom-right","logoClickable":"No","logoGoToLink":"","allowSkipAd":true,"advertisementTitle":"Ad","skipAdvertisementText":"Skip Ad","skipAdText":"You can skip this ad in","playBtnTooltipTxt":"Play","pauseBtnTooltipTxt":"Pause","rewindBtnTooltipTxt":"Rewind","downloadVideoBtnTooltipTxt":"Download video","qualityBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Close settings","qualityBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Settings","muteBtnTooltipTxt":"Mute","unmuteBtnTooltipTxt":"Unmute","fullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Fullscreen","exitFullscreenBtnTooltipTxt":"Exit fullscreen","infoBtnTooltipTxt":"Show info","embedBtnTooltipTxt":"Embed","shareBtnTooltipTxt":"Share","volumeTooltipTxt":"Volume","playlistBtnClosedTooltipTxt":"Show playlist","playlistBtnOpenedTooltipTxt":"Hide playlist","facebookBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Facebook","twitterBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Twitter","googlePlusBtnTooltipTxt":"Share on Google+","lastBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to last video","firstBtnTooltipTxt":"Go to first video","nextBtnTooltipTxt":"Play next video","previousBtnTooltipTxt":"Play previous video","shuffleBtnOnTooltipTxt":"Shuffle on","shuffleBtnOffTooltipTxt":"Shuffle off","nowPlayingTooltipTxt":"NOW PLAYING","embedWindowTitle1":"SHARE THIS PLAYER:","embedWindowTitle2":"EMBED THIS VIDEO IN YOUR SITE:","embedWindowTitle3":"SHARE LINK TO THIS PLAYER:","lightBox":false,"lightBoxAutoplay":false,"lightBoxThumbnail":"","lightBoxThumbnailWidth":400,"lightBoxThumbnailHeight":220,"lightBoxCloseOnOutsideClick":true,"onFinish":"Play next video","autoplay":false,"loadRandomVideoOnStart":"No","shuffle":"No","playlist":"Off","playlistBehaviourOnPageload":"opened (default)","playlistScrollType":"light","preloadSelfHosted":"none","hideVideoSource":true,"showAllControls":true,"rightClickMenu":true,"autohideControls":2,"hideControlsOnMouseOut":"No","nowPlayingText":"Yes","infoShow":"No","shareShow":"No","facebookShow":"No","twitterShow":"No","mailShow":"No","facebookShareName":"","facebookShareLink":"","facebookShareDescription":"","facebookSharePicture":"","twitterText":"","twitterLink":"","twitterHashtags":"","twitterVia":"","googlePlus":"","embedShow":"No","embedCodeSrc":"","embedCodeW":720,"embedCodeH":405,"embedShareLink":"","youtubeControls":"custom controls","youtubeSkin":"dark","youtubeColor":"red","youtubeQuality":"default","youtubeShowRelatedVideos":"Yes","vimeoColor":"00adef","showGlobalPrerollAds":false,"globalPrerollAds":"url1;url2;url3;url4;url5","globalPrerollAdsSkipTimer":5,"globalPrerollAdsGotoLink":"","videoType":"HTML5 (self-hosted)","submit":"Save Changes","rootFolder":"http:\/\/wp.tdn.pmadv.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/Elite-video-player\/"}

Possibly. It would be a chance to not only own a filly that will become an ultimate great addition to any broodmare band, but the possibilities of having an unbelievable year next year, 2020, at the race track for a potential owner is very, very, very unique. It’s very rare to have a filly of this quality at the top of her game, from a racing standpoint, and be offered at public auction.”

Bloom bought Midnight Bisou for $80,000 at the 2017 OBS April 2-Year-Old sale.

“I was really impressed with how the filly handled herself on the race track during her breeze show,” Bloom said. “She didn’t have a sizzle kind of pop-type breeze show, but at the same time I loved the way she leveled out as she was approaching the finish line. And then more importantly, following her breeze, she had a beautiful gallop out and really looked like a horse that wanted a distance of ground as she really settled quite nicely. There’s also all the obvious things that you look for in a horse: the way they’re put together, the makeup, the physical attributes that a horse has, but her presence is what really stood out for me. She has an incredibly intelligent eye, and just a very curious but not nervous demeanor about her. When I would go back and visit her, she always seemed to be in such a comfortable state. You know, confidence, not nervous, not reacting negatively to the experiences of being in a sale.”

Midnight Bisou was second in two tries as a 2-year-old before having a stellar 3-year-old season. Trained By Steve Asmussen, she won five of nine starts, all of them stakes. She won the GI Santa Anita Oaks and the GI Cotillion (via disqualification) before finishing a solid third in the Distaff.

But if her 3-year-old season was outstanding, her 4-year-old year has been one of perfection. Starting way back in January in the GIII Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston, no one has found a way to beat her yet.

When asked what was, for him, the most memorable moment of Midnight Bisou’s career, Bloom replied: “The most memorable moment with Midnight Bisou is not a single moment. It’s all of the experiences we’ve had. It’s a collection of incredible time and enjoyment that we’ve had by being able to go on this extended ride that’s been fun for us from the get-go. If I did have to pick one moment, I don’t think I’ve ever been more anxious, more nervous, more prepared, if you will, for a race than her running in the (GI) Personal Ensign at Saratoga. Once the numbers flashed up on the screen showing that we were the eventual winner against Elate (Medaglia d’Oro) in that photo finish, that’s right up there at the top in terms of being a pretty incredible moment.”

To many, the Personal Ensign was the most exciting race run this year. Midnight Bisou was last early but advanced steadily and drew even with fellow star Elate at the three-sixteenths pole. From there, neither horse would give an inch. An epic stretch battle could have gone either way, but it was Midnight Bisou who had her nose first on the wire.

“I think anybody that’s a racing fan that watched the Personal Ensign at Saratoga, well, it was just an incredible performance seeing two horses of the caliber of Elate and Midnight Bisou just lay it on the line,” Browning said. “It was a stimulating performance by both fillies. Both of them giving 110% and clearly they were two special fillies.”

She had a much easier time of things in her final prep for the Distaff, winning the GII Beldame Invitational this past Saturday by 3 1/4 lengths. For Bloom and co-owners Madaket Stables LLC and Allen Racing LLC, the bottom line, her career earnings, now reads $3,410,000. She has won 12 stakes, all of them graded.

“She’s at the top of her game,” Browning said. “There’s not a blemish on her resume in 2019. She seems like she’s continuing to improve. I know the owners and the trainers think so. She is training great and let’s hope those performances continue.”

Her new owners will have bought not only one of the top fillies to race over the last several years, but, also, of course, a top broodmare prospect.

“She’s exactly what you look for from a broodmare perspective,” Browning said. “She was a fantastic racehorse. Her conformation is outstanding. She’s got depth of pedigree. She’s got all the ingredients and all the characteristics to become a foundation mare and influence a program not only for a few years, but for many generations with her quality.”

Bloom’s take?

“Midnight Bisou really has a pretty strong page when you think about it,” he said. “Her mare had been a pretty solid racehorse in her own right on the race track. Midnight Lute, who I had always been a huge fan of, has turned out to be a pretty exceptional stallion. He’s had numerous graded stake horses that are showing that they’re versatile and can run against any of the best horses out there. So Midnight Bisou not only has the pedigree, but she also has just a beautiful balance. Her physical makeup is exceptional in that she’s about as balanced as a horse can be. She’s well put-together, and she’s so light on her feet. Her conformation is such that she has such a fluidity of motion. She kind of takes care of herself in the way that she trains and runs and races. She really is the perfect combination of class and elegance and physical greatness.”

It may be hard to part with a horse like that, but racing is a business and Bloom and his partners can expect to be paid handsomely when they sell Midnight Bisou. Bloom personally, has so much to thank her for, from the money she has earned, to the excitement she has given to him to how she has raised his syndicate’s profile in the manner that only a championship horse can do.
There’s just one race left, the Distaff. A win there might mean Horse of the Year. It will mean perfection has been achieved.

The post Midnight Bisou a “Game Changer” appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article