Ms Notion, Blue Kingdom look to nab stakes wins
Four stakes on tap at Laurel
The Biz
April 3, 2026
Two horses with very different resumes will go hunting their first stakes wins Saturday at Laurel Park. The lightly raced Ms Notion makes her first foray into stakes company in the Heavenly Cause, while veteran Blue Kingdom, second in three consecutive stakes races, will try his luck once again in the Frank Y. Whiteley.
Ms Notion’s path has been anything but straightforward. Once considered one of the more promising juveniles on the grounds, the filly endured setbacks that delayed her debut and interrupted her early development. Trainer Phil Capuano never lost faith.
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“Since the beginning, as a 2-year-old, she really separated herself early on,” Capuano said. “Even around May or June 2024, she was outworking stake horses and showing everything that you wanted to see out of a nice two-year-old.”
After a troubled start in her first stakes attempt as a juvenile and time lost to physical issues, Ms Notion has begun to deliver on that promise. After missing all of 2025, she returned earlier this year with a solid third-place finish, then broke through with an allowance victory that produced a career-best Beyer speed figure.
“It’s been a long journey, frustrating, but when they have that kind of talent, you try to give them every opportunity to make it to the races,” Capuano said. “I give [owner Maury Povich] all the credit in the world. He’s been incredibly patient.”
Now she stretches out to a mile for the first time, a test her trainer believes will suit her style.
“I’ve always thought she could handle the distance,” he said, adding, “The further she goes, the more she seems to want to cover ground.”
While Ms Notion is just getting started, Blue Kingdom has been knocking on the door. The 5-year-old has made 22 career starts and has finished second in three straight stakes, including a narrow defeat to Quint’s Brew in the Not For Love Stakes last time.
Trainer Jamie Ness thought that might have been the day.
“I thought we had him,” Ness said. “Hats off to Quint’s Brew. I think we got to him, and maybe put a head in front. He came back and beat us at the wire.”
That effort followed a runner-up finish in the General George and another close call in the Jennings, establishing Blue Kingdom as a consistent presence at the level—even if the breakthrough has remained elusive.
“Hopefully, it’s our time to turn the tables,” Ness added. “It’s turned into a nice rivalry.”
Blue Kingdom and Quint’s Brew have faced each other in four consecutive races, with Quint’s Brew getting the better of his rival in three of them. Twice, the margin was a neck or less.
With General George winner Point Dume opting to run out of town, the Whiteley may offer Blue Kingdom his best opportunity yet. Meanwhile, Ms Notion steps into deeper waters with upside still largely untapped.
One is trying to prove she belongs. The other is trying to finally break through. Saturday, both will get their chance.
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