Midnight Bisou Retires After Fracturing Bone In Her Leg

After suffering a sesamoid bone fracture during a workout on Monday, Midnight Bisou, one of the most accomplished mares in North American racing, suddenly retired late Wednesday night.

The news came via a release from Bloom Racing Stable, one of Midnight Bisou’s owners. According to the release, Dr. Larry Bramlage of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, KY examined Midnight Bisou and found the sesamoid bone fracture in her right front fetlock. He said that surgery isn’t required and it won’t affect Midnight Bisou’s impending broodmare career.

That career will begin sometime early next year after Midnight Bisou hits the sales ring at the Fasig-Tipton November “Night of the Stars” Sale on Nov. 8. Expect the one-time $80,000 purchase at the 2017 2-Year-old Ocala Breeders Sale to be one of the marquee attractions.

“I cannot begin to tell you what this mare has meant to me, my family and my partners,” said Jeffrey Bloom, co-owner and managing partner of Bloom Racing. “The places she has taken us and the thrills she has given us are immeasurable.”

Midnight Bisou Was Set to Race Saturday

The injury happened during a routine Monday workout at Saratoga. Midnight Bisou was training for the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes Saturday at Keeneland. That race was her tune-up for the Breeders’ Cup, where she was expected to be one of the Distaff favorites, although her connections didn’t rule out the Classic.

During her cooldown period, Scott Blasi, assistant trainer to Steve Asmussen, noticed something wasn’t right. He shut Midnight Bisou down and her connections shipped her to Lexington for examination. Afterward, she went to WinStar Farm for recuperation before November’s sale.

That draws the curtain on the career of the highest-earning dirt mare in American racing history. Midnight Bisou earned $7,471,520 during a career that took her to 10 different tracks. Wherever she ran, Midnight Bisou cashed tickets for bettors. The daughter of Midnight Lute out of Delightful Diva never missed the board in 22 career races, finishing with a record of 13-6-3.

Her 13 Wins Featured More Skill than Luck

Included in those 13 wins were five Grade 1 victories, including the 2018 Santa Anita Oaks and Cotillion and the 2019 Apple Blossom, Ogden Phipps, and Personal Ensign. This season, Midnight Bisou rang up a first and two seconds in her three races. Notable there was her gritty second to Maximum Security in February’s Saudi Cup.

Her last victory came in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Stakes at Churchill Downs earlier this summer. Along the way, Midnight Bisou picked up the 2019 Eclipse Award for Champion Older Dirt Female.

“She is all class,” Bloom said. I’m just so grateful I got to be a part of her incredible journey and I’m extremely excited to watch the next phase of her life, watch her become a mother, and for her babies to hit the track with all of her class and elegance, and continue the Midnight Bisou legacy.”