Talk Veuve to Me wraps Alabama prep

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – As the exercise rider of Royal Delta, Rodolphe Brisset already has been associated with one Alabama winner. As the trainer of Talk Veuve to Me, Brisset hopes to be associated with a second.

On Monday, Brisset, serving as the exercise rider, guided Talk Veuve to Me through a four-furlong workout in 47.95 seconds over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama, the marquee race of the Saratoga season for 3-yearold fillies.

Talk Veuve to Me, authoritative winner of the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks last time out, started about a length behind Tres Equis, who was ridden by Julien Leparoux. She followed Tres Equis until upper stretch and finished slightly in front at the wire before galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.81 and six furlongs in 1:14.16.

“I put Julien in front of her just to make sure we didn’t go too fast, she just waited behind, came up to him, and we finished well and galloped out really good,” Brisset said. “Her last three breezes, she’s given us all the right signs.

“We are out of our comfort zone because we’re not at home at Keeneland. She’s been breezing a tick faster than what she showed us at home, but she does everything kind of easy. It should be fun Saturday.”

Brisset says he’s “more confident” in Talk Veuve to Me’s ability to get the 1 1/4 miles of the Alabama than he was Royal Delta because of how aggressive Royal Delta could be. Royal Delta, who was trained by the Hall of Famer Bill Mott, went on to win 12 of 22 starts, including two runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, and earn $4.8 million.

“Can’t compare both,” Brisset said. “I just hope she’s as good as Royal.”

A field of seven is expected for the Alabama, topped by Midnight Bisou, the Mother Goose winner who on Monday worked a half-mile in 51.41 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. She went in relatively equal quarter splits of 25.66 seconds and 25.75. Midnight Bisou is coming off a runner-up finish to Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks here on July 22.

“She has been beautifully consistent from the day we took her over,” said trainer Steve Asmussen, who received the filly following her third-place finish to Monomoy Girl in the Kentucky Oaks. “That is her best quality.”

In the Alabama, Asmussen will also send out She’s a Julie, the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks winner. On Sunday, She’s a Julie worked a half-mile in 49.67 seconds over the Oklahoma training track.

Others expected for the Alabama include Auspicious Babe, Coach Rocks, Eskimo Kisses, and Figarella’s Queen. Alberobello was possible.

Bravazo steps it up in drill

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas went on record last week as saying Bravazo went too slow in a halfmile work that was timed in 51.60 seconds.

Monday, Lukas made sure that wouldn’t happen again as he put two horses in front of Bravazo for a five-furlong workout that NYRA clockers timed in 1:00.90 over the Oklahoma training track. Bravazo is preparing for a start in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 25.

Bravazo, the Preakness and Haskell runner-up, started about three lengths behind the pair of Royal Edition and an unnamed 2-year-old. He joined up three wide at the quarter pole and then finished five in front as the riders of the other two horses took their mounts in hand.

“I wanted to make sure he got something out of it and got a good blow,” Lukas said. “The track was awful dry today – they expected rain I think – but he worked well over it. I put him in with a couple of others and let him run by them. I’m trying to teach him to run by them no matter who they are.”

Bravazo won the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds in February, but is winless in six races since. He and Justify were the only two horses to have run in all three Triple Crown races. While Justify, the Triple Crown winner, is retired, Bravazo came back to run second to Good Magic in the Haskell.

Good Magic figures to be the favorite in the Travers.

The Travers picked up another starter when trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday that Meistermind, who won a 1 1/4-mile maiden race at Churchill Downs on June 30, would run. Meistermind, a half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and 2012 Pacific Classic winner Dullahan, is owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and SF Racing, similar connections as Justify. On Sunday, he worked in company with Jim Dandy winner Tenfold, the pair going five furlongs in 1:01.25 over the Oklahoma training track.

Asmussen said Manny Franco would ride Meistermind.

◗ Travers hopeful Catholic Boy breezed an easy half-mile in 48.47 seconds over a very busy main track shortly after the renovation break Monday, galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.40 before easing up threequarters in 1:14 with jockey Javier Castellano aboard.