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NYRA and Vitali Reach Undisclosed Agreement

The New York Racing Association and trainer Marcus Vitali have reached a settlement regarding NYRA's effort to exclude the trainer from participating at its three tracks. According to NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna, the agreement requires that the terms of the settlement remain confidential.

The TDN reached out to both Vitali's attorney Brad Bielly Friday in an attempt to gather more information. By mid-afternoon, he had not responded. Vitali told the TDN that he was not aware of the terms of the deal.

In September, NYRA announced that it would begin the process of taking action against Vitali, alleging that the trainer had “engaged in conduct that is detrimental to the best interests of the sport of Thoroughbred racing or potentially injurious to the health or safety of horses or riders. Further, as detailed in the respective statements of charges, this conduct warrants revocation or suspension of their right to train horses, enter races, or engage in any racing-related activity at all NYRA properties including Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.”

In an official “statement of charges issued against Vitali, NYRA pointed to what it alleged was a long and lengthy list of suspensions and medication violations.

“From between in or about 2010 and in or about 2020, Respondent amassed an extensive record of medication violations, lengthy suspensions, improperly using 'program' or 'paper' trainers during suspensions and obstructing an investigation into alleged wrongdoing,” the statement read. “In the past five years, Respondent was denied entry, ejected and/or had license applications denied by regulators of Thoroughbred racing in Florida, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York and Delaware; and was sanctioned by the Jockey Club for violating a racing statute, rule or regulation relating to prohibited or restricted drugs, medications or substances seven times in a single year.”

Since the original statement of charges was issued, things have only gotten worse for Vitali. In February, he was hit with a one-year suspension by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission after a horse he trained allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine. Vitali appealed the suspension and has continued to train. With several tracks not accepting entries from his stable, he has raced primarily at Presque Isle Downs and Turf Paradise.

Vitali rarely runs in New York, but did have a starter at last year's Saratoga meet. He sent out Red Venus (Candy Ride {Arg}), who finished seventh in a $50,000 claimer.

As was the case with Bob Baffert, who was also issued a “statement of charges” in September, NYRA was required due to a court ruling to hold a hearing into the Vitali matter before it could take any action against the trainer. The hearing was originally scheduled for March 1, but was delayed. With Friday's announcement, a hearing is no longer necessary.

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Sisterson to Open Public Stable

Jack Sisterson, who has trained privately for Calumet Farm since 2018, is going public. Calumet will remain as a client and will keep a number of horses with Sisterson, but significantly fewer than he has typically had.

Sisterson said he is making the move in the hopes that expanding and taking on other owners will lead to more opportunities.

“This is something we have been discussing for a few months,” he said. “I give all the credit to Calumet. If it weren't for them I wouldn't be where I am today. We started discussing things a while ago and it looked like the only way that I could grow in this business was to reach out, branch out and always try to do better. Talking to the people at Calumet, they said at one point that it would be selfish to hold on to me as a private trainer. They also said that if I ever decided to go out on my own they'd still like to have a working relationship with me.”

Sisterson, a native of Durham, England, was a long-time assistant to Doug O'Neill before going to work for Calumet. Calumet uses a number of different trainers, but Sisterson was the only one among them who trained exclusively for the operation. He won his first stakes for Calumet with Oxy Lady (Oxbow) in the 2018 GIII Tempted S. In 2019, his first full year with Calumet, Sisterson won 20 races, including three graded stakes. The team reached new heights in 2020 when Sisterson won his first two Grade I races, taking the GI Personal Ensign S. with Vexatious (Giant's Causeway) and the GI Cigar Mile H. with True Timber (Mineshaft). There were two more Grade I wins in 2021, the GI Man o'War S. won by Channel Cat (English Channel) and the GI Alfred Vanderbilt H. won by Lexitonian (Speightstown).

“For four years, we have had a lot of success and a lot of fun times,” Sisterson said. “We've had a few Grade I winners together What I'd like to do now is to continue to win Grade I's for Calumet and for other organizations, as well. The long-term goal is to win a Kentucky Derby, to win Breeders' Cup races.”

Sisterson said that the continuing support from Calumet will make the transition to being a public trainer easier to accomplish.

“I'm excited,” he said. “I would have been nervous if I weren't getting the support of Calumet. They are 100 percent behind this. It's a dream come true. They have allowed me to train privately for them for four years. Now they're going to help me out and give me a number of their best horses. Their support has been unbelievable. I'll forever be in their debt for the support they have given me.”

Sisterson plans on unveiling his new stable at the Del Mar meet.

“I worked for Doug for so long in California and had a very good experience there,” Sisterson said. “I'd like to go to Del Mar for the summer and take advantage of the ship and win program. I know California well. California has been good to me and I'd like to get back there. I think California racing is very much still alive and I'm excited to think I will be a part of it. The short-term goal is to get the public stable set up at Del Mar and to have winners at the meet and to be able to continue to grow after this summer.”

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Trainer Peter Miller Set to Return at Churchill Downs

Peter Miller, who has not started a horse since Nov. 28, will make his return Sunday at Churchill Downs when he sends out Respect the Code (Honor Code) in the eighth race.

Miller announced last fall that he was taking a break from training, explaining in a press release that he wanted to “spend more time with his family, focus on overall health and wellness, and pursue other interests.” At the time, the bulk of his stable was moved over to his former assistant Ruben Alvarado.

In a text message, Miller, 55, explained that he chose to launch his comeback with Respect the Code because he wanted his first horse back to be owned by Gary Barber. “He's been my biggest supporter for over 15 years,” Miller wrote.

Miller went on to explain that Respect the Code is his only horse he has in Kentucky and that the bulk of his stable will be in Southern California. He said he is gearing up for the meets at Los Alamitos and Del Mar. The Los Alamitos meet begins June 22 and the Del Mar season begins July 13.

When asked via text if the horses that had been turned over to Alvarado will return to his stable, Miller wrote, “I hope so.”

Miller's status at Santa Anita remains unclear. By deadline for this story, Aidan Butler, the chief operating officer for 1/st Racing, which owns, Santa Anita, had not responded to a text asking whether or not Miller's entries would be accepted at the Arcadia, California track.

Miller's announcement that he was stepping away from training came shortly after a horse under his care died at the San Luis Rey training center. In 2021, five horses in his care suffered catastrophic injuries, the highest number of any single trainer in California this year. Though 1/st Racing did not publicly take any action against Miller, there was speculation that he was forced out. When announcing his hiatus, Miller said the decision was strictly his own.

“I know that there may be some speculation related to this decision; however, I want to make it very clear that it is not a result of any regulatory action, secret agreement or hidden agenda of any kind,” he said in the press release. “This is strictly a personal decision.”

Miller, who has won nine training titles at Del Mar, has 1,338 career wins.

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Gai Waterhouse Relives Visit to the Bluegrass

Legendary Australian trainer Gai Waterhouse recently spent five days touring Kentucky's horse country. Upon returning to her headquarters at Tulloch Lodge in Sydney this week, the Hall of Fame trainer of 149 Group 1 wins, including a record seven G1 Golden Slippers, is looking forward to taking her findings and putting them to use at her own exceedingly-successful stable.

“You know the old expression–you can't see the forest for the trees if you're there all day,” Waterhouse explained. “You have to go away to freshen up. I felt like I had to renew my connections and refresh my mind on everything about American breeding. We loved Kentucky, absolutely loved it.”

Bloodstock agent Marette Farrell, formerly Waterhouse's racing manager, served as the acclaimed trainer's tour guide during her time in the Bluegrass. Waterhouse took advantage of every second of her visit as the travelers maintained a jam-packed itinerary during their brief stay.

“We did not sit down for a second,” the effervescent horsewoman said with a laugh. “We kept dozing off in the car.”

One of the chief objectives of Waterhouse's trip was to have her first in-person meeting with Greg Goodman, owner of Mt. Brilliant Farm. In the past decade, Mt. Brilliant has increased their involvement in the Australian breeding and racing market. They currently have several horses in training with Waterhouse and her co-trainer Adrian Bott, including their juvenile colt Mount Brilliant (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), who broke his maiden just last week at Goulburn.

“Their farm was beautiful and we enjoyed seeing the foals, mares and yearlings,” Waterhouse said of her tour of Mt. Brilliant Farm. “They also have a mare that Adrian and I trained for them, Social Distancing (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}). She came over here from Australia and has let down into a beautiful mare with the lush Kentucky grass.”

The group stopped in at several other Thoroughbred nurseries including the farm of breeder and owner Charles Fipke, who also sends horses to Waterhouse in Australia, and Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Farm, where they met Littleprincessemma (Yankee Gentleman) and the month-old Tapit half-sister to American Pharoah.

Waterhouse admitted that any time she visits breeding farms in Kentucky, she is always amazed by the attention to detail each outfit puts into their facility.

Gai Waterhouse and Wesley Ward visit Uncle Mo at Ashford Stud | Coolmore America

“The farms are all so pristine,” she said. “It's a lot more hands-on. [Husband] Rob asked me as we were driving in, why are all the paddocks mowed? We didn't realize that they have to do that here because the grass is so rich that the horses will get too much and might founder. We don't see that in Australia, so we found it really interesting. The farms are so incredibly manicured. You wouldn't see that in Australia either.”

The caravan also dropped in at several major stud farms. They got a look at WinStar Farm's new stakes-winning sire Nashville (Speightstown), as well as future stallions and MGISWs Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and Country Grammer (Tonalist).

Waterhouse was especially enamored with the picturesque Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa and its cornerstone sire Curlin.

“What a monument John Sikura has there–beautiful barns and an incredible property,” she said. “Not only is the farm impressive, but the stallions are impressive too. He has a beautiful sire roster.”

At Ashford Stud, Waterhouse was pleased to get a look at red hot sire Uncle Mo and first-crop stallion Justify. Waterhouse and her team have already purchased a number of Justify's progeny in Australia, including a filly out of the Waterhouse/Bott-trained dual Group I winner Global Glamour (Aus) {Star Witness {Aus}). The youngster was purchased for $900,000 at this year's Magic Millions Sale.

While Waterhouse was fascinated by her tours of the breeding farms, she couldn't resist dropping by the track for a few training sessions.

“Of course we had a morning with Wesley at Keeneland,” she recounted. “Wesley has become a really good friend. We chew the cud over training, different methods and keeping horses sound.”

At Churchill Downs, she met reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox.

“He is very capable,” she noted. “It was interesting to see how he does his nominations and how he sets up his work sets. He is exceedingly meticulous and it's paying dividends because he's winning plenty of graded races.”

Before heading back home to Sydney, Waterhouse spent a few days in New York City to enjoy Broadway. She pointed out that seeing Hugh Jackman in The Music Man and Daniel Craig in Macbeth were notable highlights.

While it might not have been possible for Waterhouse to spend over a week away from her stable a few years ago, she is enjoying a bit more flexibility these days since she began co-training with Adrian Bott in 2016.

“Adrian and I work very much hand in hand,” Waterhouse said. “We're doing a very good job since we've been in partnership and winning plenty of graded races, but it's nice to have a fresh outlook, especially since everyone has been locked up for over two years. After seeing things overseas, hopefully I can bring back some new ideas with some fresh training methods that we can put in place.”

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