For more than a decade before going out on his own in 2017 to train, Rodolphe Brisset was a fixture on the backstretch at Belmont Park and Saratoga, exercising some of the best horses in the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Brisset, whose main base of operation has been Kentucky, wants to maintain a year-round presence in New York and plans to open a division beginning this spring. He said he plans to have 10 to 12 horses based at Belmont Park during the upcoming spring meet that begins April 2. “You know how much fun we had and how many years we were there,” Brisset said. “I love Keeneland, because it’s home – I’m pro Keeneland – but I’m a big, big fan of Belmont. I feel like it’s the right time. My clients have been very supportive. We’re going to try and give ourselves the best possible chance to be successful in New York. “It’s not an easy move but I think New York could use some young people.” :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Brisset, 43, has already enjoyed success in New York, winning his first Grade 1 when Mullikin captured the Forego at Saratoga in 2024. Brisset has won several other stakes in New York, including the Peter Pan at Belmont, the John Nerud and Demoiselle at Aqueduct, and the Amsterdam at Saratoga. Brisset has been planning a foray into New York for more than a year. Last summer, he bought colts by Frosted and Olympiad at the Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Last week, among the four 2-year-olds he and Storyteller Racing procured at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales auction was a New York-bred son of Yaupon, purchased for $250,000 out of the Chester Broman consignment. Brisset said he’s a fan of the New York-bred program noting that the purse parity that is coming this year where purses for statebreds will be equal to those of open company will be beneficial. Brisset said he’s still trying to sort out the horses that will comprise his New York stable but one is Tuthilltown, a New York-bred filly who finished second or third in all three of her starts last year in statebred company. Vajra, a filly who finished second in a turf sprint at Saratoga last August before having to go to the sidelines, will show up later this spring. Brisset has Peignoir nominated to the Top Flight on March 29, but she is the morning-line favorite in a five-horse field in an overnight stakes at Oaklawn Park this weekend. Brisset said Matthew Ciamei, who has worked for Brisset for about a year, will oversee his New York string. Ciamei is from New Jersey. Filly Freedom starts anew Last October, Filly Freedom came off a three-month layoff to win a one-mile maiden race by 8 1/4 lengths going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct. Friday, Filly Freedom returns from a four-month layoff in a first-level allowance race for females going a one-turn mile that serves as the feature on Aqueduct’s eight-race card. Filly Freedom, trained by Chad Brown, hasn’t run since finishing seventh, 8 1/2 lengths behind stablemate Fully Subscribed in the Grade 2 Mother Goose, a race that might have been too much too soon for the daughter of Constitution. Filly Freedom’s main rival Friday may be her less experienced stablemate Inefficiency, who is making her second career start after winning a one-mile maiden race by six lengths here in the slop on Feb. 20. Metfardeh, fifth to Filly Freedom in October, came back to win her maiden going one mile in November before finishing third going 1 1/8 miles around two turns here on Jan. 4. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.