By Alan Carasso
One year removed from a gut-wrenching and much-discussed defeat at the hands of favored Abel Tasman (Quality Road), Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's 'TDN Rising Star' Elate (Medaglia d'Oro) is seeking a reversal of fate in Saturday's GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga, with a fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff on the line.
Runaway winner of the GI Alabama S. at this meeting two summers ago, the lanky dark bay dropped a neck decision to Eclipse Award winner Abel Tasman 12 months ago, a result which was ultimately allowed to stand despite a claim of foul. Forced to miss the 2018 Breeders' Cup owing to a splint issue, Elate was allowed to train on this term, finishing second to Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) when spotting that one a recency advantage in the GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn Mar. 16 before a no-excuses third in the GI Apple Blossom H. Back to winning ways in no uncertain terms in the GII Fleur de Lis S. under the lights at Churchill June 15, she successfully defended her title at 30 cents on the dollar in the 10-furlong GII Delaware H. July 13.
The Personal Ensign was run over the mile and a quarter from 1995 to 2011 and were it that trip Saturday, Elate could well go favored. In spite of the curious absence of a victory at Saturday's nine-furlong distance, Midnight Bisou figures a razor-thin choice. A model of consistency, the dark bay has not tasted defeat in five start since finishing third to champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in last year's Distaff. Her 3 1/2-length success in Belmont's GI Ogden Phipps S. came over Come Dancing (Malibu Moon), the favorite for Saturday's GI Ballerina S., and she did what she had to do last time, overcoming the heat to best Coach Rocks (Oxbow) in the GIII Molly Pitcher S. at Monmouth July 20.
Wow Cat (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky), last year's GI Beldame S. victress and Distaff runner-up, has a single tightener under her belt this term, a second-place finish to the Elate's stablemate Golden Award (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GIII Shuvee S. over this course and distance July 21.
She's A Julie (Elusive Quality), victorious in the GI La Troienne S. in June, exits a low-odds third after contesting the pace in the Shuvee.
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