Brisset Holds Strong Hand for Saturday’s $100,000 Love Song at Colonial Downs

NEW KENT, Va. (July 24, 2025) – Trainer Rudy Brisset holds a strong hand for Saturday’s first running of the $100,000 Love Sign Stakes at Colonial Downs. The six-furlong dirt sprint attracted a competitive field of nine fillies and mares, and Brisset’s pair, led by Motley Crew Stables and September Farm’s Bourbon Breeze, was tabbed as the first and fourth choice in the morning line.

A former assistant to Hall-of-Fame conditioner Bill Mott, Brisset has been training on his own since 2017 and has won a dozen graded stakes. In 2024 the native of Tours, France, set a personal record for yearly earnings, topping $4 million from 243 starts. Both Bourbon Breeze and DARRS Inc.’s Top Gun Girl, Brisset’s second Love Sign entry, are relatively recent purchases at the claiming box.

“We don’t do a lot in the claiming game,” Brisset said. “But if we find the right one, one we like, we have no issue doing it.”

Since being claimed for $30,000 in February, Bourbon Breeze has earned $143,048 from two allowance wins, one second, and a fourth in a stake.

“I saw that filly break her maiden at Keeneland, and I always kept her in the corner of my eyes,” Brisset said. “When I saw her in for (a tag) at Turfway going two turns, I got together with one of my clients and we decided to claim her. My wife and I own September Farms, and the owner was nice enough to invite us in, so it’s been a fun ride.”

In the Saylorville at Prairie Meadows on July 4, the 4-year-old by Omaha Beach filly ran fourth in a race which was won by the front-running Won Happy Mama.

“I think maybe (Bourbon Breeze) got a little bit intimidated when the inside and outside mares came over a little quick on us out of the gates,” Brisset said. “On that track if you are a step shy, then all of a sudden you end up five or six lengths back and then you can’t make up any ground. Numbers wise, she didn’t run a bad race at all. 
Actually, it came back pretty fast, even if she didn’t get the trip we wanted.”

With Francisco Arrieta in the irons, Bourbon Breeze will be guided from post 6.

Making her third start for Brisset, Top Gun Girl was claimed from Wesley Ward’s barn for $80,000 on May 1. In the first start for her new conditioner, the 6-year-old mare by Air Force Blue finished second behind the classy Pigalle going 7½ furlongs, her longest race to date.

“Shorter is better for her, but
that was the race I had in front of me,” Brisset said. “When you have a horse you’re aiming to get on the lead, you never know – sometimes they can carry that speed a little longer. 
So that’s what we tried to do; obviously, it was not a bad try. She ran a big second to a very nice mare.”

At the end of June, Top Gun Girl lined up in the starting gates against a tough group that included Asternia, a next-out winner of the Twin Bridges at Ellis Park, and Little Prankster, who made her next start in the Honorable Miss (G2) at Saratoga. Traveling six furlongs, she was beaten by 2½ lengths, finishing sixth.

“Her most recent race was a really tough allowance,” Brisset said. “She didn’t break as good as you would want, and from there, she only got beat by a couple lengths. She did make a little run, but I’m guessing they were getting tired in front, too, because they went so fast.”

With a resume that includes three wins and $371,743 in earnings, Top Gun Girl drew post 9 and attracted last year’s local leading rider Ben Curtis.

The Love Sign is scheduled as race 8 on Saturday, immediately followed by the Reigh Count, a seven-furlong open company dirt sprint for males. First post for the 10-race program is 12:30 p.m. ET.

Tickets for the entire meet can be purchased online at www.colonialdowns.com.