Kingsolver makes grass debut in $150K Take the A Train

Trainer Rodolphe Brisset, in the midst of establishing a year-round presence in New York, will send out Kingsolver for her grass debut in Saturday’s $150,000 Take the A Train, a six-furlong outer turf sprint for sophomore fillies, at Belmont at the Big A. 

Kingsolver has made all six career starts in dirt sprints, including a second-out graduation in the six-furlong Listed Schuylerville in July at Saratoga Race Course; a second in the seven-furlong Debutante in August at Ellis Park; and a win in a six-furlong October allowance at Keeneland. 

The Omaha Beach dark bay was then off-the-board in the Myrtlewood later in October at Keeneland and when returning as a sophomore in the Grade 2 Beaumont this April there, both stakes won by A Fine Chardonnay. 

“Turf is something we’ve wanted to try for quite some time,” Brisset said. “She was entered last summer in the Untapable at Kentucky Downs, but got sick, so we scratched the morning of the race. This has been something we’ve been waiting to try and looking forward to with her.” 

Brisset said the six-furlong distance of the Take the A Train was an enticing aspect. 

“She is definitely a one-turn horse. I think seven-eighths would be the most we could ask of her,” said Brisset. “Six furlongs, and on grass, those were our reasons for this race.”

Kingsolver, out of the Speightstown mare Famous Writer, a half-sister to stakes-placed Cyber Ninja, was a $95,000 purchase from the 2025 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where she breezed in 10 seconds flat. Her second dam, the graded stakes-placed Famous Alice, is a half-sister to Venezuelan-bred Group 3-winning millionaire Piacenza.

“If you go back and watch when she breezed on the poly at OBS, her breeze was extremely impressive. I think it is time to give turf a try,” Brisset said. “If the race were to come off the turf, we’d be [fine] there anyway.” 

Brisset hopes Kingsolver’s turn-of-foot will improve on the grass, and she will be equipped with blinkers.

“She is kind of petite, but she has a turn-of-foot on the dirt. That turn-of-foot, I just want to see if she can reproduce it on turf. If that can develop on the grass, it would be a very good sign,” Brisset said. 

Kingsolver [post 3, Flavien Prat, blinkers ON] is campaigned by Storyteller Racing, Schroeck Racing, Open Gate Horse Ventures, Brian Cahoe, Scott Catlett, Dave Russel, Matthew Ransdell, Michael Motley and Joel Braun. 

Qatar Racing’s Alpenglow [post 5, Jose Lezcano] showed marked improvement when cutting back to five furlongs on Tapeta to graduate last out at third asking on April 11 at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Jose D’Angelo, the Charlatan chestnut set the pace and won by 4 1/2 lengths in a final time of 56.45, earning a career-best 77 Beyer Speed Figure. 

Alpenglow had made two prior starts, a misfire in her dirt debut in August at Saratoga, and an awkward-starting off-the-board finish going 7 1/2 furlongs on turf in February at Gulfstream. 

“She's a filly that always worked very good. That's what made me bring her to Saratoga last summer and run her on dirt. Now, we know she doesn't like the dirt too much,” D’Angelo said. “We gave her some time off and the first time back was probably a little long for her. I decided to cut the distance last time and she was very professional and ran way better.” 

Alpenglow was equipped with blinkers starting in her second race. 

“On fast horses, sometimes you're looking for a little more speed and also, she needed to get focused,” D’Angelo said. 

D’Angelo said he will leave the trip in the capable hands of jockey Jose Lezcano. 

“She has tactical speed,” D’Angelo said. “We'll have to see her running against better company and see how she goes.”

Alpenglow, a $350,000 purchase at the 2025 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Spumoni, a half-sister to Grade 1-placed Airoforce and stakes-placed Sharp Smile. Her second dam is dual stakes-placed Chocolate Pop. 

Stonestreet Stables’ Cadenza [post 6, Manny Franco] was a two-length second last out in the six-furlong Serena’s Song on March 28 at Turfway Park. Trained by dual Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox, the Charlatan chestnut made her stakes debut there and took over before the half-mile call, but was outkicked in the lane by Hen Party. 

Cadenza made her two prior starts over that same synthetic and distance including an optional claiming score in February in her sophomore debut. Her juvenile campaign featured one start on dirt, turf and synthetic – the grass effort was a second-out graduation sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs in August at Saratoga Race Course. 

Cadenza, a $385,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes-placed Kitten’s Joy mare Maddie’s Odyssey, who produced multiple graded stakes-winner Sneaking Out, Grade 3-winner Grecian Fire, dual stakes-winner Been Studying Her and stakes-victor Smuggler’s Run. 

Red White and Blue Racing and London Reid Thoroughbreds’ Just Philtored [post 7, Mychel Sanchez] returns to turf after three dirt starts at Laurel Park following a fifth in the Grade 3 Matron over Saturday’s course and distance in October. Trained by Michael Trombetta, the Great Notion bay was most recently second in the seven-furlong Gin Talking in December at Laurel. 

During her 4-for-7 juvenile campaign, Just Philtored won the Keswick on dirt and Dolley Madison on turf, both restricted events in August at Colonial Downs. She also captured the state-bred Maryland Juvenile Filly in December, once again returning within the month for her aforementioned effort in the Gin Talking. 

DiRico Racing and Breeding’s New York-bred Sweet Montreal [post 8, Christopher Elliott] won the state-bred Joseph A. Gimma by 3 1/4 lengths over course and distance second-out in September. Trained by Jim Ryerson, the Instagrand gray exited to finish fifth to next-out stakes winner Map of the Moon in the open-company six-furlong Stewart Manor in November here. 

Sweet Montreal, 2-for-3 last year, returned in another six-furlong tilt here when finishing fourth versus open-company allowance elders on April 17. Returning rider Chris Elliott has been aboard for all four career outings. Bred by Torie D. Gladwell, Sweet Montreal, a $120,000 purchase at the 2025 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is a half-sister to dual stakes-placed Sohana. She is out of the Rockport Harbor mare Passeporta – a half-sister to Nike Ahead, who banked more than $1.4 million [64-7-10-1] in Japan.

Dahman’s Emblaze [post 4, Jaime Rodriguez] steps up in class off a five-furlong debut win on March 14 at Tampa Bay Downs. Trained by Miguel Clement, the Yaupon dark bay exited the outermost post 10, traveled 5 1/2 lengths back in seventh position early before angling seven-wide and closing to a half-length victory in a final time of 56.70 seconds. 

Emblaze, a $350,000 purchase at the 2025 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Machtree out of the multiple graded stakes-placed Forestry mare Lady Lumberjack. Her second dam is Grade 2-placed Harbor Blues. 

Rounding out the field are maiden winners Pillar of Beauty [post 2, Junior Alvarado] for Hall of Famer Bill Mott and One More Guitar [post 1, Kendrick Carmouche] for conditioner Thomas Proctor. 

The Take the A Train is slated as Race 8 on Saturday’s 11-race card, which features the Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan in Race 9, as well as the Grade 2, $200,000 Ruffian in Race 7 and the Grade 3, $175,000 John A. Nerud in Race 6. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern. 

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