Asmussen regrouping with Midnight Bisou after Saratoga defeat

Midnight Bisou came out of her runner-up effort to Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on Monday in good order, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said at his barn on a rainy Monday morning.

"She ran hard and ran into a good filly. We'll hope to do better in the future," Asmussen said.

Under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, Midnight Bisou challenged Monomoy Girl at the top of the stretch, closing to within a half-length before Monomoy Girl extended away to win by three. Midnight Bisou, who was coming off a six-length win in the Grade 2 Mother Goose on June 30 at Belmont, finished 3 ½ lengths in front of Chocolate Martini for second.

"I was very confident going into the far turn," Smith said Sunday. "I thought I had a shot at them, but then she kicked into another gear. But look, it's not like she just got beat by some horse."

The Midnight Lute filly has never finished off the board in eight career starts, going 4-3-1 for earnings of $751,000.

"We didn't really go that fast early, and I said, dang it," Smith said. "I really couldn't do anything, I wasn't in a situation to do anything about it.

"...I took her down the backside and tried to push the pace just a little bit to see and make sure at least it was honest enough and I thought it was. Today, she just got the best of us. We got to figure out how to turn the tables."

Connections have not announced a next race spot for Midnight Bisou. If they wish to dodge Monomoy Girl, Saratoga's Grade 1 Alabama runs Aug. 18 at 1 1/4 miles for 3-year-old fillies. Monomoy Girl is more likely to wait until the Sept. 22 Cotillion at Parx Racing for her next start.