Bee Jersey will remain on dirt

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bee Jersey has worked on turf three times and is nominated to Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, but the Met Mile winner will remain on dirt, trainer Steve Asmussen said.

Asmussen’s primary objective for 2018 is the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs, and he will likely use one race to get Bee Jersey there. Options include the Grade 3, $100,000 Ack Ack on Sept. 29 at Churchill Downs and the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso Handicap on Sept. 22 at Belmont Park.

“We considered running him in the Fourstardave, his turf works were not up to his standard and with the lack of quality of mile races this time of year we will map out a campaign that culminates with the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile,” Asmussen said.

Bee Jersey, a son of Jersey Town owned and bred by Charles Fipke, is 4 for 4 this year with victories in the Met Mile and Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile.

She’s a Julie works toward Alabama

She’s a Julie, dominant winner of the Iowa Oaks on July 5, worked a sharp five furlongs in 59.02 seconds Sunday morning over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for a start in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes on Aug. 18.

“Obviously, the track was in great shape this morning, with the rain it was tighter than usual,” Asmussen said Sunday.

Following She’s a Julie’s 5 1/2-length victory in the Iowa Oaks, Peter Bradley and Sol Kumin purchased part interest in the filly from Whispering Oaks Farm.

Kumin, who owns leading 3-year-old filly Monomoy Girl, also is part-owner of Midnight Bisou, the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks runner-up who also is targeting the Alabama.

On Monday, Midnight Bisou worked five furlongs in 1:01.02. Talk Veuve to Me, the Indiana Oaks winner, worked five furlongs in 1:00.89 over the main track for the Alabama.