Midnight Bisou Monstrous in G2 Mother Goose

ELMONT, NY – Bloom Racing Stable, Allen Racing, and Madaket Stables’ Midnight Bisou ran off with a monstrous performance on Saturday to score big for new trainer Steve Asmussen in the Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park.

Breaking sharply from post 2 as the 1-2 heavy favorite under Mike Smith, Midnight Bisou sat just off of Road to Victory‘s early pace through opening splits of :23.79, :46.87, and 1:10.87. Advancing up to the leader’s throat latch midway through the far turn, Midnight Bisou turned for home well in hand while Road to Victory was all-out, trying in vain to keep up. Pulling away impressively, Midnight Bisou hit the wire with a 6-length advantage in a final time of 1:41.02 for the 1 1/16-mile main track event while never being asked for her best.

“I’ve got goose bumps – Mother Goose bumps,” said Smith with a laugh. “I had a feeling she’d like it out here as well and she was really good today. Steve 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. 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.”

Road to Victory held on for second by 1 1/4 lengths over My Miss Lilly, with Indy Union completing the order of finish. Coach Rocks, Gio Game, and Mo Smart were all scratched.

Midnight Bisou’s win was a refreshing return to the winner’s circle after she experienced a very troubled trip before finishing third in the Kentucky Oaks last out. The 3-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute was transferred from Spawr to Asmussen following the Kentucky Oaks due to the quantity and quality of 3-year-old fillies available on the east coast. With a record of 7-4-2-1, Midnight Bisou’s earnings now stand at $691,000 – a nice return on the $80,000 investment that Jeff Bloom made in April of 2017.

“She came to us in great condition from Bill Spawr,” said Scott Blasi, assistant to Asmussen. “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.”

Midnight Bisou returned $2.90 to win and $2.10 to place, while Road to Victory paid $2.40 to place. There was no show betting.