Midnight Bourbon (January 25, 2018 – April 17, 2022) was an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

racehorse who won the 2021

Lecomte Stakes The Lecomte Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses at a distance of one and one-sixteenths miles on the dirt run annually in mid-January, at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event ...

and came second in the 2021

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () o ...

and

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds acco ...

and 2022

Saudi Cup The Saudi Cup (Arabic: كأس السعودية) is an international horse race held at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is the richest horse race ever held, with a $20 million purse. Race details The race is notable for ...

. Midnight Bourbon died suddenly from an "acute

gastrointestinal The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans and ...

situation" on April 17, 2022.

Background

Midnight Bourbon was a dark bay colt born in Kentucky. He was trained by

Steve Asmussen Steven Mark Asmussen (born November 18, 1965) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. The leading trainer in North America by wins, he is a two-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer and was inducted into the National M ...

and was ridden in his most recent start by jockey Paco Lopez. According to David Fiske the general manager of the horse's owner Ron Winchell's "Ron Winchell's Thoroughbreds" the horse's name came about as follows ..."It was pretty much a

stream-of-consciousness In literary criticism, stream of consciousness is a narrative mode or method that attempts "to depict the multitudinous thoughts and feelings which pass through the mind" of a narrator. The term was coined by Daniel Oliver in 1840 in ''First Li ...

thing” .... “Ron and his buddies do like to try out all the new ( bourbon) batches, and he also deals with a lot of liquor distributors. So liquor is in the forefront of his mind a lot, with business and pleasure. So it just came together.” The “Midnight” part of the name can be tied to the dam, Catch the Moon."

Racing career

2020: Two-Year-Old Season

Midnight Bourbon came third in his debut, a maiden special weight at Ellis Park on July 22. He broke his maiden in his second start, another maiden special weight at Ellis Park, on August 22. Stepping up to stakes company, Midnight Bourbon came second in the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs on September 5. He then came third in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park on October 10.

2021: Three-Year-Old Season

Midnight Bourbon made his first start as a three-year-old on January 26, winning the

at Fair Grounds Racetrack. He then placed in the next two races on the Derby trail at Fair Grounds, coming third in the

Risen Star Stakes The Risen Star Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt run annually in February, usually during the President's Day weekend at Fair Grounds Race Course ...

behind Mandaloun and second in the

Louisiana Derby The Louisiana Derby is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Run in late March, the race is open to horses, age three, willing to race miles on the dirt. It currently o ...

behind

Hot Rod Charlie Hot Rod Charlie (foaled April 11, 2018) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2021 Pennsylvania Derby and Louisiana Derby. He also came second in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and 2021 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, and four ...

. The three races earnt him enough points on the 2021 Road to the Kentucky Derby to qualify for the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Midnight Bourbon made his next start in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, and finished sixth after a bad trip. His next start was in the

, the second leg of the

Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Tri ...

. He was sent off as the co-favorite with Kentucky Derby winner

Medina Spirit Medina Spirit (April 5, 2018 – December 6, 2021) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who finished first in the 2021 Kentucky Derby before being disqualified. He came second in the 2021 Breeders' Cup Classic and third in the 2021 Preakness ...

at 5–2. Midnight Bourbon got a much better trip than in the Derby, running second most of the race behind Medina Spirit before passing him at the top of the stretch and looking to be the winner. However, Rombauer made a big move on the outside to win, with Midnight Bourbon finishing second. Midnight Bourbon bypassed the third leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, to have some time off and target the big races in the summer. He made his next start on July 17 in the

Grade 1 First grade (also called Grade One, called '' Year 2'' in England or Primary 2 in Scotland) is the first grade in elementary school and the first school year after kindergarten. Children are usually 6–7 years old in this grade. Examples by ...

Haskell Stakes at

Monmouth Park Racetrack Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with ...

. He was full of running down the stretch but

crossed over into his way and impeded his path, which caused Midnight Bourbon to throw his jockey Paco Lopez. Hot Rod Charlie crossed the finish line first was disqualified for his interference of Midnight Bourbon. Mandaloun, who had crossed second in a

photo finish A photo finish occurs in a sporting race when multiple competitors cross the finishing line at nearly the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to determine which of the competitors crossed the line first, a photo or video taken at the finis ...

, was declared the official winner. Midnight Bourbon came out of the Haskell unhurt and made his next start in the

at Saratoga Racecourse on August 28. He led the race through relaxed early fractions and then was challenged by

Essential Quality Essential Quality (foaled April 9, 2018) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2021 Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes, and the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He was named the 2020 Champion Two-Year-Old and the 2021 Champion Th ...

at the top of the stretch. Midnight Bourbon fought back gamely and was only a head behind Essential Quality at the wire. Midnight Bourbon followed up with a second in the

Pennsylvania Derby The Pennsylvania Derby is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Parx Racing and Casino (formerly known as Keystone Race Track, then from 1986 through 2010 as Philadelphia Park) each year. The track's premiere event is open to horses, age three, ...

on September 25 to

and on his last start of year on 26 November he finished third as a 6/5 favorite in the

Clark Stakes The Clark Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in late November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Among the oldest races in the United States, it was first run in 1875, the year the racetrack opened for business. ...

at Churchill Downs to Maxfield.

2022: Four-Year-Old Season

Midnight Bourbon made his first start of 2022 in the

Louisiana Stakes The Louisiana Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four years and older over a distance miles on the dirt track held annually during the third week of January at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana ...

against his familiar rival Mandaloun, in which he came a close second only 3/4 of a length behind Mandaloun. Midnight Bourbon prepared to make his next start in the $20 million

where he would face Mandaloun again as well as a quality field of international runners including the previous year's winner

Mishriff Mishriff (foaled 1 April 2017) is an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After showing some promise when winning one minor race as a two-year-old in 2019 he emerged as a top-class middle-distance performer in the following year ...

. "It's all there. It really is," his trainer

said. "He has an elite level of talent without finishing it off. It leaves a lot for us moving forward. As accomplished as he is, or as lacking as his résumé is with the wins, he is still in a physical and mental development that I think allows for him to possibly end up being the best horse in training in the world this year. I am hoping beyond hope, and expect, that he's waiting for the Saudi Cup stage to put it all together perfectly." Midnight Bourbon finished a close third in the race behind Emblem Road and Country Grammer, and jockey

Joel Rosario Joel Rosario (born January 14, 1985) is a Champion jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing, originally from the Dominican Republic. In the space of five weeks in 2013 he rode the winners of the Dubai World Cup and the Kentucky Derby. More rec ...

said, "I thought he ran really well. It was probably a little bit different with him, but he showed heart. He did great." Midnight Bourbon made his next start in the

Dubai World Cup The Dubai World Cup (Arabic: كأس دبي العالمي) is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and contested at the Meydan Racecourse (Arabic: ميدان) which in Arabic suggests a place wh ...

, where he finished fifth behind the winner Country Grammer.

Pedigree

* Midnight Bourbon is

inbred Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders and o ...

4S × 4D to the stallion

Seattle Slew Seattle Slew (February 15, 1974 – May 7, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who became the tenth winner of the American Triple Crown (1977). He is one of only two horses to have won the Triple Crown while being undefeated in ...

, meaning that he appears fourth generation on the sire side of his pedigree and fourth generation on the dam side of his pedigree.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Midnight Bourbon 2018 racehorse births 2022 racehorse deaths Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred racehorses