FAIR GROUNDS: MIDNIGHT BISOU BACK ON THE WORK TAB – BELL’S THE ONE POINTS TO LA BREA

By Grant LaGrange —-

Barn Notes: Friday, December 13, 2019

· MIDNIGHT BISOU BACK IN TRAINING AT FAIR GROUNDS

MIDNIGHT BISOU BACK ON THE WORK TAB

Bloom Racing, LLC, Madaket Stables, LLC and Allen Racing, LLC’s Midnight Bisou was back on the work tab Thursday morning at Fair Grounds, breezing an easy half mile in :53.60 for trainer Steve Asmussen.

“We are extremely excited to have our filly gearing up for 2020,” said co-owner Jeff Bloom. “She’s had a very nice mini break and has been beautifully easing back to full training.”

The 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute, who had a string of seven consecutive graded stakes wins in 2019 snapped when finishing second behind Blue Prize in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) on November 2 at Santa Anita, was pulled out of Fasig-Tipton’s marquee breeding stock sale the morning of that race.

“In the end, we decided we simply wanted to race her another year,” Bloom explained. “She’s such a special filly who loves every bit of her job. Plus she’s still young (April 18 foal). We are pointing for the $20 million Saudi Cup for her next start (February 29).

The favorite for the 2019 Eclipse Award for Champion Older Female, Midnight Bisou sports a career record of 19-12-4-2 with a bankroll of $3,750,000. She RNA’ed as a Keeneland September Yearling ($19,000) and then sold to Bloom for $80,000 at the OBS 2-year-old in training sale.

BELL’S THE ONE TO START IN THE LA BREA (G1) AT SANTA ANITA

According to trainer Neil Pessin, Lothenbach Stables Inc’s Bell’s the One is being pointed for the seven furlong La Brea (G1) to be run December 26 at Santa Anita.

The 13-1 upset winner of the Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland in early October, the 3-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection has posted four works over Fair Grounds oval. In her most recent clocking on December 15, Bell’s the One stopped the timer in :48.40 seconds for a half mile.

“She couldn’t be doing any better,” trainer Neil Pessin said. “She looks and is working just as good as she was before the Raven Run. It’s going to be a tough field out there but my filly is doing exceptionally well right now so I have the confidence and think she’ll put in a good effort.”

Bell’s the One, who won both the Letellier Memorial and Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial Stakes last season at Fair Grounds, aims for her first career Grade I victory against a La Brea field that will likely include Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) runner-up Bellafina.

At present, Bell’s the One owns a career record of 9-5-2-0 with earnings of $394,350. In 2019 alone she has two wins and two seconds, with one of those runner-ups performances coming in the Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs, a race in which she was beaten by Breeders’ Cup Filly & Sprint champion Covfefe.

-30-

About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, LA, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global

Select Market: CHDN); it also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 13 off-track betting parlors throughout southeast Louisiana. The 148th Thoroughbred Racing Season – highlighted by the 107 th running of the Louisiana Derby – will run from November 28, 2019 through March 29, 2020. More information can be found online at www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com.