Trainer Jack Sisterson will participate in the Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park for the first time this season, but he certainly is no stranger to the historic Hallandale Beach track.
The 35-year-old former assistant to trainer Doug O'Neill will bring fond memories of his 2016 travels with Nyquist to Gulfstream Park, where Reddam Racing's colt captured the $1 million Florida Derby (G1), as well as a $1 million bonus, on his way to winning the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs six weeks later.
“That was a start of a long successful happy journey. I traveled everywhere with him — thanks to Doug and Paul and Zilla Reddam for the opportunity. The goal was the Florida Derby all along because he was in the Florida Sale the year before and Fasig-Tipton offered a $1 million bonus,” Sisterson said. “The whole plan was to focus on the Florida Derby and prep him at Keeneland for the Kentucky Derby.”
Sisterson, who was also a member of 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness (G1) winner I'll Have Another's travel team for O'Neill and the Reddams, was hired as a private trainer for Calumet Farm in 2018 and has returned to South Florida with a stable of 20 horses at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.
“We've grown as the years go on with slightly better stock. We're bringing some nice 2-year-olds-turning-3-year-olds that we'd like to put on the Triple Crown trail, as well as some nice grass horses that Palm Meadows gives you options to train on the grass,” Sisterson said. “We put those things together and decided to try Florida this year.”
The 2020-2021 Championship Meet will get under way Wednesday, and Sisterson is scheduled to saddle his first official Gulfstream starter, Everfast, for Thursday's featured Race 6, a mile starter allowance for 3-year-olds and up. Everfast, who finished second in the Holy Bull (G2) at Gulfstream and second in the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico in 2019 while trained by Dale Romans, is rated second in the morning line at 7-2 behind West Will Power, the 8-5 favorite who is coming off back-to-back victories at Monmouth for trainer Kelly Breen.
“We're hoping to get off to a fast start,” Sisterson said.
Since saddling his first starter for Calumet in July 2018, Sisterson has won 41 races from 331 starters.
“I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Calumet. It's humbling to be able to train for an outfit that's so historically well known in the industry and all the success that they've had,” Sisterson said. “We'd like to get Calumet back to where they once were back in the prime days. I think we definitely have the stock this year to have our best year yet with the likes of Vexatious. We've got a couple of unraced 2-year-olds that we think are potential Derby types for next year. It's definitely a program that I'm very fortunate and humbled and honored to be involved with.”
Sisterson's career highlight thus far came during the 2020 Saratoga meeting when Vexatious provided him with his first Grade 1 success by capturing the Personal Ensign (G1).
“I can't give enough credit to the staff that I have in the barn because they are the ones who do all the hard work,” he said. “Just winning a race anywhere is a thrill, let alone a race at Saratoga, let alone a Grade 1 at Saratoga. That was pretty special.”
Sisterson maintains a year-round stable at Keeneland, and the native of Durham, England now considers Kentucky home. He first ventured to Kentucky after receiving a soccer scholarship from the University of Louisville.
“I was fortunate to be offered a scholarship and being able to do two things I loved. One thing was soccer and one was horse racing. I started hot-walking for Todd [Pletcher] in the summers,” Sisterson said. “That was my introduction to the racing side in America, working for Todd.”
In addition to some promising young stock, Sisterson's stable at Palm Meadows will include several veterans of the racing wars. True Timber, who finished eighth in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) last year while trained by Kiaran McLaughlin; Bon Raison, who finished off the board in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland; Bandua, a graded-stakes winner who is scheduled to make a comeback after a year's absence, as well as Vexatious, will be based at Palm Meadows.
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