By Alan Carasso
Sunday Racing's Mitilini (Jpn) (f, 3, Tapit–Midnight Bisou, by Midnight Lute) came with a sustained run from from far back to graduate in her first try going two turns on the dirt in Saturday's opening race over 1700 meters at Kokura Racecourse.
Once second from two tries going 1400 meters on turf to begin her career, the Feb. 24 foal never landed a blow when trying the dirt for the first time going that same distance Nov. 16.
Despite being ridden for a bit of early speed from a double-digit gate, Mitilini was no better than third-last to make the first turn and trailed by a good 12 to 15 lengths down the backstretch. Asked to improve with better than 600 meters to travel, Mitilini responded nicely when asked in upper stretch, came running three off the fence with time ticking away and was along in the waning strides to graduate by a neck as the 7-1 fourth choice.
A five-time Grade I winner and the Eclipse Award-winning older dirt female in 2019, Midnight Bisou was the adjudicated winner of the inaugural Saudi Cup in 2020 and Chuck Allen paid $5 million for her at that year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale. After producing the Curlin colt Bisou in 2022, she was bred to this sire and offered at Keeneland November later that fall, where she topped the auction on a bid of $5.5 million from Katsumi Yoshida.
Also the dam of a 2-year-old filly by Kitasan Black (Jpn), Midnight Bisou produced a colt by Equinox (Jpn) last season that fetched a sales-best ¥580 million ($4,318,488) during the foal section of the JRHA Select Sale. She is due to Equinox once again for 2026.
1st-Kokura, ¥11,280,000 ($72,418), Maiden, 3yo, f, 1700m, 1:48.3, ft.
MITILINI (JPN) (f, 3, Tapit–Midnight Bisou {Ch. Older Dirt Female & MGISW-US, $13,971,520}, by Midnight Lute) Sales history: $5,500,000 in utero '22 KEENOV. Lifetime Record:4-1-1-0, $63,878. VIDEO (SC 12)
O-Sunday Racing Co Ltd; B-Northern Racing; T-Tomokazu Takano.
2026.02.07 小倉競馬場🏇
1R 3歳未勝利🥇
ミティリーニ & 鮫島克駿 騎手Tapit%E7%94%A3%E9%A7%92?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tapit産駒#高野友和厩舎 pic.twitter.com/Alf5Hfud2e— はごろも (@856_rmc) February 7, 2026
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