Steering clear of Midnight Bisou is a wise idea for anyone with an older filly or mare, and usually it proves to be a highly astute move.
A case in point is trainer Tom Amoss. In late June, he sent out 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Serengeti Empress to face the champion older dirt female of 2019 in the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2). Serengeti Empress showed her customary early speed in the 1 1/8-mile stakes, but the 4-year-old daughter of Alternation finished fourth behind the victorious Midnight Bisou, a distant 10 1/4 lengths behind.
So with an 11th-place finish in the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) before that in his filly's past performances, Amoss regrouped and pointed Serengeti Empress toward her first one-turn sprint since last year's Longines Test Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, where she ran her heart out but had to settle for a runner-up finish by a half-length to Covfefe, who was ultimately named champion sprinter and 3-year-old filly of 2019.
Amoss entered his charge in the seven-furlong $300,000 Ballerina Stakes (G1) on the Aug. 8 card at the Spa, and the turn back in distance brought Serengeti Empress back into top form.
Despite breaking a step slow, Serengeti Empress was able to rush up along the rail under jockey Luis Saez and duel for the lead before pulling clear and holding off a stretch bid by Bellafina to win by a length.
"We pointed to this race since she was well beaten in her last race while going a route of ground," Amoss said. "We wanted to avoid Midnight Bisou. But more importantly, when you win the Kentucky Oaks, you are almost married to continue to run in these two-turn races, and today we got an opportunity to move to a middle distance and I think we found a home here."
For certain, Amoss found out where Serengeti Empress will be spending the afternoon of Nov. 7 as the victory in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race assured owner Joel Politi's filly of a free "Win and You're In" spot in the seven-furlong, $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland.
"Absolutely," he said about running in the Filly & Mare Sprint. "I'm looking forward to staying at the seven-eighths distance and maybe getting one more start in before the Breeders' Cup."
As well as the Ballerina ended up for Serengeti Empress ($8.30), it started out bringing beads of sweat to the brows of Saez and Amoss and anyone else who took her at 3-1 odds.
Serengeti Empress had the rail in the field of seven but her slow start put Saez in a potentially precarious spot if someone moved into her spot on the inside. As it turned out, Saez had open ground in front of him and was able to push Serengeti Empress to a length lead after an opening quarter-mile in :21.75.
"Tom said, 'In the first jump, she's not that quick, so you have to help her,' and he was right," Saez said. "I had my spot there and I got lucky I found some room, so she put me on the lead."
Amoss said the configuration of the racetrack, with a chute and a gap until the field reaches the main rail, played a big role in Serengeti Empress being able to find room along the inside.
"It gives you a chance from the inside to catch back up and regain your position," he said.
Given that opportunity to reach the front, Serengeti Empress kept on motoring. Ahead by a half-length over Letruska after a half-mile in a blazing :43.74, she then edged away at the top of the stretch to open a 1 1/2-length lead and had enough speed left to hold off 5-2 favorite Bellafina, who turned in the best effort of her career outside of California.
"Speed is her game, and she used it today," Amoss said. "She's a very special filly to the barn and to my family and to the Politis. We call her 'the gift that keeps giving,' and she gave today."
The final time on a fast track was 1:21.63.
The victory was the seventh in 17 starts for Serengeti Empress and pushed her earnings to $1,907,653. Bred in Kentucky by Tri Eques Bloodstock out of the Bernardini mare Havisham, she was purchased by Politi for $70,000 from Brookdale Sales' consignment at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She is the first foal by Havisham, whose most recent offspring is an unraced 2-year-old filly by Tiz Wonderful.
Bellafina, who had never finished better than third in her first five starts outside of California for trainer Simon Callaghan, wound up second for the ownership team of Kaleem Shah, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith. The daughter of Quality Road was 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' Victim of Love, a Speightstown filly trained by Todd Beattie.
Blue Devil Racing Stable's Come Dancing, the winner of last year's Ballerina, was fourth.
