After defeating every rival except Monomoy Girl in the Acorn Stakes (G1) June 9 at Belmont Park, Talk Veuve to Me appears well-positioned to secure her first graded stakes win July 14 in the $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G1) at Indiana Grand.
For Talk Veuve to Me, who is campaigned by Team Valor International, Stephen McKay, and trainer Rodolphe Brisset, the 1 1/16-mile Indiana Oaks will mark her first try at two turns. After rolling to an 11 1/4-length maiden special victory March 25 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the daughter of Violence registered back-to-back runner-up finishes. She finished behind Mia Mischief in the seven-furlong Eight Belles Stakes presented by Kentucky Trailer (G2) at Churchill Downs, then was second in the one-turn mile Acorn, where Monomoy Girl secured her third straight grade 1 win.
Julien Leparoux is scheduled to ride Talk Veuve to Me for the first time in Saturday's race, which has a post time of 9:01 p.m. ET. Talk Veuve to Me, the even-money morning-line favorite, is scheduled to face seven other 3-year-old fillies.
G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and Ashbrook Farm's Skeptic will make her stakes debut after posting a maiden special win at Keeneland and rolling to a 4 1/4-length score in a first-level allowance win May 13 at Churchill. The daughter of Tiznow is trained by Rusty Arnold.
Qatar Racing, Hunter Valley Farm, and Marc Detampel's Figarella's Queen, a stakes winner in late March on the Gulfstream Park turf, enters off a clear victory in an optional-claiming allowance race June 3 on the dirt at Churchill. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro is trained by Brad Cox, who also conditions Monomoy Girl.
Among the other five stakes on the Indiana Derby Night card are the Mari Hulman George Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares and the Indiana General Assembly Distaff Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
In the Mari Hulman, Westrock Stables' Torrent gets some class relief after running fifth in the Humana Distaff Stakes (G1) May 5 at Churchill. A 4-year-old daughter of Blame , Torrent has placed in three graded stakes.
In the Indiana General Assembly, James Miller's Lovely Bernadette enters off a victory in the Old Forester Mint Julep Handicap (G3T) June 9 at Churchill.
Indiana Grand, Saturday, July 14, 2018, Race 4 Indiana Grand, Saturday, July 14, 2018, Race 6 Indiana Grand, Saturday, July 14, 2018, Race 8Entries: Mari Hulman George S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Sweet N Wicked (IN)
Rodney A. Prescott
117
Wayne G. Minnock
20/1
2
2Dutch Parrot (AR)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
117
William B. Van Meter
15/1
3
3Torrent (KY)
Corey S. Nakatani
121
Ron Moquett
2/1
4
4Promise of Spring (KY)
Robby Albarado
119
Steve Margolis
8/1
5
5Awestruck (KY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
121
George R. Arnold, II
5/2
6
6Pinch Hit (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
117
Brad H. Cox
3/1
7
7Summer Luck (KY)
Florent Geroux
121
Mark E. Casse
5/1
Entries: Indiana General Assembly Distaff S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Queen Caroline (VA)
Robby Albarado
120
Michael R. Matz
8/1
2
2Dutch Parrot (AR)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
William B. Van Meter
15/1
3
3Kyllachy Queen (IRE)
Corey S. Nakatani
118
Ben Colebrook
12/1
4
4Lovely Bernadette (KY)
Florent Geroux
120
Bernard S. Flint
8/5
5
5Sweet Legacy (KY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
118
George R. Arnold, II
12/1
6
6Res Ipsa (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
120
Ian R. Wilkes
3/1
7
7Sweet N Wicked (IN)
Rodney A. Prescott
118
Wayne G. Minnock
30/1
8
8Hachi (CHI)
Marcelino Pedroza
118
Brad H. Cox
15/1
9
9Lovely Loyree (IL)
Fernando De La Cruz
118
Michele Boyce
4/1
Entries: Indiana Oaks (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Molecules (KY)
Samuel E. Bermudez
115
Scott D. Mullins
30/1
2
2Haynesfest (FL)
Alex L. Canchari
115
Thomas M. Amoss
12/1
3
3Harbor Lights (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
119
Steven M. Asmussen
6/1
4
4Diamondcoat (KY)
Fernando De La Cruz
115
Kellyn Gorder
12/1
5
5Talk Veuve to Me (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
115
Rodolphe Brisset
1/1
6
6Kelly's Humor (KY)
Florent Geroux
115
Brad H. Cox
8/1
7
7Skeptic (KY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
119
George R. Arnold, II
5/1
8
8Figarella's Queen (KY)
Robby Albarado
121
Brad H. Cox
6/1