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True Timber, Jesus’ Team Turn Post Solid Workouts In Preparation For Pegasus

Calumet Farm's True Timber took trainer Jack Sisterson by surprise Saturday morning during his five-furlong breeze in preparation for a third start in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (Grade 1) Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Working in company with multiple-stakes winner American Tattoo, True Timber covered five furlongs in 1:00.20 under exercise rider Mark O'Dwyer at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

“He worked great this morning. It was probably one of the better breezes he's done with us. He went in company with another older horse, American Tattoo, and Mark sort of tapped his hip and he came home in 11 [seconds] and galloped out very strong,” Sisterson said. “I was quite surprised the way he went. Usually, he's rather workmanlike and … slow, but he was extremely fast this morning.”

The 7-year-old son of Mineshaft, who captured the Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct had previously turned in two half-mile workouts in 53.45 seconds and 51 seconds, respectively.

“He's 7 years old and he knows exactly what his job is. We just train him the way he wants to be trained and keep him happy,” said Sisterson, who took over the training of True Timber following the retirement of previous trainer Kiaran McLaughlin toward the middle of 2020. “He seems to be turning the corner for us.”

In his two previous starts in the Pegasus, True Timber finished seventh in 2019 and eighth last year.

Grupo 7C Racing Stable's Jesus' Team breezed six furlongs Saturday morning in preparation for a planned start in the Pegasus World Cup.

The multiple G1 stakes-placed son of Tapiture was timed in 1:13.40 at Palm Meadows. Regular exercise rider Simon Rodriguez was aboard for the workout.

“The hard work was last week. He did it in the way I want,” said trainer Jose D'Angelo, who 4-year-old colt produced a five-furlong bullet workout Jan. 2. “I wanted an easy work. I think he's ready. He'll just have one more four-furlong work to main his condition.”

Jesus' Team, who broke his maiden for a $32,000 claiming price at Gulfstream last March, has been stakes-placed in his last five starts, including a third-place finish in the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) and a second-place finish in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland. The Kentucky-bred colt most recently captured the Dec. 2 Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream.

“It's very exciting. It is the most important race of our calendar in South Florida at Gulfstream Park,” D'Angelo said. “I think it's a big test for both me and Jesus.”

Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo breezed five furlongs in 1:00.93 Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park for a possible start in the Pegasus World Cup.

The son of Uncle Mo, the 2020 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner, finished fourth behind True Timber in the Cigar Mile while coming off a seven-month layoff.

Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Knicks Go breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Fair Grounds Saturday morning in preparation for the Pegasus.

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Mucho Gusto, Charlatan Top Pegasus World Cup Invitation List

Bob Baffert-trained Mucho Gusto and Charlatan are among a dozen Grade 1 and Grade 2 winners on a list of 16 horses invited Sunday to the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The fifth running of the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus, won previously by Longines World's Best Racehorse Arrogate (2017), Horse of the Year Gun Runner (2018), Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner City of Light and Mucho Gusto (2020), will be run Saturday, Jan. 23, along with the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1).

Limited seating is available and tickets can be purchased at Pegasusworldcup.com.

Fans can watch and wager on the Pegasus World Cup at 1stbet.com and xpressbet.com.

The Pegasus World Cup and Pegasus World Cup Turf will be part of an extraordinary program featuring seven graded stakes, four contested on the turf. Stakes on Pegasus Day will also include the $200,000 Inside Information (G2), $125,000 William L. McKnight (G3), $125,000 Marshua's River (G3), $125,000 La Prevoyante (G3) and $125,000 Fred Hooper (G3).

The 12 horses given first preference for the Pegasus World Cup were (in alphabetical order):

Charlatan – Owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Frederick Hertrich III, John Fielding, Golconda Stables. Trained by Bob Baffert
Code of Honor – Owned by W.S. Farish. Trained by Shug McGaughey
Harper's First Ride – Owned by MCA Racing Stable LLC. Trained by Claudio Gonzalez
Jesus' Team – Owned by Grupo 7C Racing Stable. Trained by Jose D'Angelo
Kiss Today Goodbye – Owned by John Sondereker. Trained by J. Eric Kruljac
Knicks Go – Owned by Korea Racing Authority. Trained by Brad Cox
Mr Freeze – Owned by Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister. Trained by Dale Romans
Mucho Gusto – Owned by HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled. Trained by Bob Baffert
Sharp Samurai – Owned by Red Baron's Barn LLC, Rancho Temescal LLC, Mark Glatt. Trained by Mark Glatt
Sleepy Eyes Todd – Owned by Thumbs Up Racing, LLC. Trained by Miguel Angel Silva
Tax – Owned by R.A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch. Trained by Danny Gargan
True Timber – Owned by Calumet Farm. Trained by Jack Sisterson.

The also eligibles are (in order of preference)

Anothertwistafate – Owned by Peter Redekop B.C., Ltd. Trained by Peter Miller
Math Wizard – Owned by John Fanelli, Khalid Mishref, Cash is King LLC, LC Racing LLC, Collarmele Vitelli Stables LLC, Ioannis, Zouas, Bassett Stables. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr.
King Guillermo – Owned by Victoria's Ranch. Trained by Juan Carlos Avila
Idol – Owned by Calvin Nguyen. Trained by Richard Baltas

Baffert, who won the Pegasus last year with Mucho Gusto and the inaugural running with Arrogate, has two chances for a hat trick with his defending champion and Charlatan.

After his victory in the Pegasus last year Mucho Gusto finished fourth Feb. 29 in the Saudi Cup before Baffert gave the 5-year-old son of Mucho Macho Man time off. He returned Dec. 26 to finish fourth of six in the San Antonio (G2).

Charlatan was regarded as one of the country's top 3-year-olds after his performance in the May 2 Arkansas Derby (G1) but he was sidelined with an ankle injury before returning off a seven-month layoff to win the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita.

Multiple Grade 1 winner Knicks Go enters the Pegasus off three consecutive victories since being moved to the stable of Brad Cox. The 5-year-old Maryland-bred son of Paynter was an impressive winner last time out of the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1).

Jesus' Team, second in the Breeders' Cup Mile and beaten less than a length by Knicks Go, sold for $30,000 as a yearling and has earned $508,940. The Jose D'Angelo-trained 4-year-old finished third in the Preakness (G1) and Jim Dandy (G2) last year.

Sharp Samurai was beaten a nose by Jesus' Team for the place in the Breeders' Cup Mile. The 7-year-old gelding, based at Santa Anita with trainer Mark Glatt, was second last year in the Pacific Classic (G1), Eddie Read (G2) and City of Hope (G2). His last victory was the 2018 City of Hope. Sharp Samurai is also on the invitation list for the Pegasus Turf.

W.S. Farish's homebred Code of Honor will be making his 13th consecutive start in a graded race, his ninth in a Grade 1 event. Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, Code of Honor was placed second in the 2019 Kentucky Derby (G1) and went on to win the Travers (G1) and Jockey Club (G1). Code of Honor's 4-year-old season included a victory in the Westchester (G3) and second-place finishes in the Clark (G1) and Kelso (G2).

Tax, claimed for $50,000 out of his second career start by trainer Danny Gargan for co-owner Hugh Lynch, will run in his second consecutive Pegasus. The 5-year-old, an impressive winner of the Harlan's Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Dec. 12 off a seven-month layoff, was fourth in the 2019 Belmont (G1) and won that year's Jim Dandy (G2). The son of Arch finished ninth in last year's Pegasus after stumbling at the start.

Mr Freeze finished second in last year's Pegasus World Cup, 4 ½ lengths behind winner Mucho Gusto. Trained by Dale Romans, Mr Freeze went on to win the Fayette Stakes (G2) before wide trips resulted in a sixth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Mile and fifth-place finish in the Clark last time out.

Calumet Farm is hoping the third time is the charm for True Timber. Seventh in the 2019 edition of the Pegasus and eighth last year, the 7-year-old enters this year's $3 million edition off a popular victory in the Cigar Mile (G1) Dec. 5 at Aqueduct. It was his first win in 13 starts, since September of 2018.

Sleepy Eyes Todd won the Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park Dec. 19. The 5-year-old son of Paddy O'Prado, who won the Charles Town Classic (G2) in August, has been a model of consistency, winning eight of 15 races while racing at 11 different tracks for trainer Miguel Angel Silva.

John Sondereker's Kiss Today Goodbye, a lightly-raced 4-year-old, upset Mucho Gusto and four others Dec. 26 in the Malibu when he closed from last. Trained by J. Eric Kruljak, Kiss Today Goodbye had finished fifth in the Del Mar Derby (G2) and fourth in the Twilight Derby (G2) earlier in the year.

Harper's First Ride, a 5-year-old Maryland-bred, enters the Pegasus having won four of his last five starts including a victory in the Pimlico Special (G3). Maryland's perennial leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez will saddle the son of Paynter.

Anothertwistafate, winner of the Jan. 2 San Gabriel (G2) at Santa Anita and Sept. 10 Longacres Mile (G3), is No. 1 on the also eligible list. The son of Scat Daddy is also on the invitation list for the Pegasus Turf. Locally-based Math Wizard, a Grade 1 winner who finished second last summer to Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) show finisher Global Campaign in the Monmouth Cup, is second on the AE list while King Guillermo, owned by former Major League Baseball all-star Victor Martinez, and Idol, second in the San Antonio, round out the list.

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After Emotional Milestone Weekend, Kendrick Carmouche Voted Jockey Of The Week

Kendrick Carmouche marked two professional milestones the week of November 30 through December 6. He won his first Grade I race with True Timber in the Cigar Mile on Saturday and then ended the week by earning his first NYRA Jockey title at the Aqueduct Fall Meet. The achievements earned Carmouche the title of Jockey of the Week. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

A field of six went to the post for the Cigar Mile. Under Carmouche, True Timber broke sharp from post 5 and tracked in third position behind the leader, Mr. Buff. Heading into the stretch, Carmouche set True Timber down and easily held off late bids from Snapper Sinclair and post time favorite Performer to hit the wire by 5-1/2 lengths in 1:36.49.

“I had perfect position leaving the gate and all the way around there,” said Carmouche. “Right before we got to the quarter pole, I pulled the trigger and I knew they were going to have to run me down from here.”

“It's my first Grade I. I owe it all to my fans, my wife and kids and how much they stuck with me and kept me pushing and fighting in this game,” said an emotional Carmouche. “This means so much to me. This is the biggest win of my career and I hope I have many more blessed ones.”

On Sunday, Carmouche, a mainstay on the NYRA circuit, registered his first-ever riding title for a New York Racing Association meet with 23 victories for the 18-day fall meet at Aqueduct. No stranger to earning riding titles, Carmouche won seven at Parx from 2008-2011 earning him induction into that track's Hall of Fame in 2015.

“I give thanks to everyone who put a good effort into supporting me and pushed me along to win this meet. I'm very appreciative.” Carmouche said. “I seized the opportunity at hand and I am very grateful for all the trainers and owners for letting me show other people that I can win races.”

Carmouche's weekly stats were 28-7-4-5 and $536,576 in purses won to lead all jockeys.

Carmouche out-polled fellow jockeys Sonny Leon who was second in number of wins for the week, Jose Lezcano who tied for number of wins with nine and won a stakes race at Aqueduct, Paco Lopez who tied for number of wins with nine and Luis Saez who won five Claiming Crown stakes at Gulfstream Park.

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Sisterson: True Timber ‘Not A One-Dimensional Sprinter,’ To Target Saudi Cup

British born Jack Sisterson, a rising star of the US training ranks, is strongly considering The Saudi Cup for his impressive Cigar Mile winner True Timber. After his 5 1/2 length victory in the Grade 1 at Aqueduct on Saturday, True Timber's handler was thrilled the 6-year-old was able to perform to such a high level.

“We were very proud of him and it was so rewarding for all the staff that put the hard work in 24/7,” said Sisterson. “He came to us from Kiaran McLaughlin in early springtime. We gave him a brief break and he was penclled in to run at Keeneland but we couldn't because of the pandemic.

“He ran in an open allowance race there in July and ran very well to be third. Any race at Keeneland is a tough one and we thought it would be a stepping stone. It shows how good a trainer Kiaran is that he came to us in such good form. His best race last year was the Cigar Mile, so it was a race we wanted to target.”

The son of Mineshaft is now heading for warmer climes.

“He's heading back home to Keeneland and then we'll be shipping him down to Florida towards the end of the week. We're going to be changing his training regime up a bit, from a sprinter to more of a miler,” said Sisterson.

“We'll then be looking at races like the Pegasus World Cup and The Saudi Cup. These are the races you dream of and it's important to capitalize when the moment's right. [The Cigar Mile] gives us the confidence to go for races like that. I don't think the trip will be an issue at all, he has the presence of a distance type of horse, not a one-dimensional sprinter.”

Originally from Durham in England, Sisterson has now been in America for 15 years.

“I came over on a soccer scholarship from the University of Louisville,” said the 35-year-old. “My family had a few horses in point-to-points back in the UK and I always wanted to be involved at some level.”

He couldn't have received a better education in US racing: “I've been incredibly fortunate to learn from the best and the support I've received has been amazing. I started off working for Todd Pletcher and then Doug O'Neill, so I've been around some incredible horses.”

A trip to Saudi Arabia wouldn't be a first for Sisterson either, as he travelled to Riyadh when working with O'Neill.

“I made it out to Saudi when we took Bailoutbobby over there for a Grade One in 2016. He had been bought by Prince Faisal and I had a great time, meeting lots of people. It would be fantastic to go over there again.”

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