Rodolphe Brisset Stable Tour

Rodolphe Brisset, a native of Tours in France, has been training on his own in the US since 2017 after working for ten years as an assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. 

Brisset, who bagged his first Grade 1 this year when Mullikin captured the Forego at Saratoga, has compiled a solid stable and could be set for notable Keeneland Fall Meet. 

Here, Rodolphe runs the rule over his leading prospects from his yard in Versailles, Kentucky for the big meeting in nearby Lexington, live on Sky Sports Racing.

LIAM IN THE DUST 

(Friday, race 10 - Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades)

Brisset’s first runner of the Fall Meet is in the Grade 1 Alcibiades for two-year-old fillies on the opening day. This daughter of Liam’s Map won at first asking at Ellis Park on August 11 before finishing a solid second in the Grade 3 Pocahontas at Churchill Downs to La Cara, who rallied from eleventh in the 14-horse field.

“It looked like she was home-free at the quarter pole of the Pocahontas and just got a little tired,” Brisset said of Liam In The Dust. 

“I don’t think she saw the winner coming either. It was one of those cases where she really didn’t take Luis (Saez) anywhere in the first part of the race and I don’t think he thought he had that much horse. All of a sudden, she took off and opened up three a little early and got beat three-quarters of a length.”

Brisset says he thinks the two turns of the Alcibiades “is going to help her big time.” He continued: “we’re doing something we’re not used to doing, coming back in three weeks from a Grade 3 to a Grade 1 but she came out of the Pocahontas really good and her last work was really good.”

IMPULSE BUY 

(Saturday, race 3)

This daughter of Speightstown finished second to Liam In The Dust in that August 11 maiden contest. Rodolphe said these are the two best dirt fillies he has in his stable.

Brisset said Impulse Buy was scheduled to run back in a maiden race at Churchill in September but she spiked a temperature and missed a little bit of time.

“We just backed up and regrouped and got her ready for this spot,” Rodolphe said. “I’m pretty high on her too. Since the race, she’s been training really well, her works have been very good.”

SOUND OF VICTORY 

(Sunday, race 1)

This three-year-old gelding by Audible is dropping in for a $30,000 claiming tag after facing tougher in his first two starts. 

Brisset said Sound Of Victory lost a bit of focus last out when attempting to rally from off the pace. He plans to have Florent Geroux send him away from the rail post in this spot.

“We’re not going to let him decide what to do here,” Brisset said. “I got a pretty aggressive rider, we drew the one hole, the plan is to go forward. If somebody wants it, we’re going to let them go, but we’re not going to let him look around and lose his focus in that spot.”

BREAD TO RUN 

(Sunday, race 3)

After two poor dirt efforts, Bread To Run showed signs of life in a turf maiden at Horseshoe Indianapolis where she finished second in an eight-horse field. Will have to overcome post 11 in this 12-horse field going 1 1-16 miles.

“I own a piece of her and we’re not ready to drop her in a claiming race yet,” Brisset said. “She showed enough and she has a little bit of pedigree too. She has to take a step forward, but she’s a two-year-old, that’s what they do.”

WORLD RECORD 

(Sunday, Allowance)

This winner of the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes on dirt at Saratoga is entered in a second-level allowance going 5 1-2 furlongs on turf on Sunday. While Rodolphe said he may want to try World Record on turf at some point, he is likely to scratch out of this race and run in a second-level allowance on dirt as early as next week, provided the race fills.

Either way, World Record is dropping out of a sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga, race from which he was used up in speed duel breaking from the rail. He has drawn the rail four consecutive times, more often than not dictating his speed be used to get position.

“We have done what we have done with him because he’s drawn the one every time,” Brisset said. “I don’t think he needs to be on the lead going :44 [for opening half-mile] each time.”

WARHEART 

(Sunday, race 10)

Rodolphe views this gelding by Omaha Beach as a live longshot in the Grade 2, $350,000 Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes scheduled for 1 1-16 miles on turf.

After running second sprinting at Colonial on August 17, Warheart gutted out a head victory going seven furlongs at Kentucky Downs on September 5.

“I think he’ll be 1-2-3, I really think so,” Brisset said. “If you watch the replay at Kentucky Downs, he was extremely green, just because the configuration of the course. He switched leads a couple of times then he made the lead almost too easy, he was looking around, got passed, came back and after the wire he took off again. I think that race taught him a lot.”

AUTHENTIC STRIKE 

(October 18, Allowance)

This two-year-old son of Authentic was a debut winner going seven furlongs at Ellis Park before finishing ninth in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs on September 14.

“He’s an extremely talented horse, I don’t know what happened the other day,” Brisset said. “He didn’t break, then he got behind horses and then the jock decided to go six wide and press the pace. It looks like we have a two-turn race for him on the 18th.”

Rodolphe noted that in 2017 he won a similar allowance for three-year-olds with Quip, who was stretching out from one turn to two turns. 

GIRL MATH

(Maiden) 

A two-year-old daughter of McKinzie finished fourth sprinting on debut at Ellis Park then was second going a one-turn mile at Churchill.

Brisset said he would like to run her in a two-turn race at the end of the Fall Meet.

UNDERCOVER

(Allowance)

A three-year-old daughter of Omaha Beach who won her maiden by two lengths at Churchill Downs on September 21. Rodolphe thinks she may be stakes quality and hopes to run in an allowance race by the end of the Fall Meet.