Everfast Leads Three Entries for Sisterson in Grade 1 Forego

Sisterson is an assistant to Doug O'Neill, and he took his first grade 1 win with Calumet's Vexatious in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) this month.

"I got a lot of help to get here," said Sisterson. "To have three horses in a grade 1 stakes is humbling, and I'm thankful for the support people have given me. I couldn't do this alone. The list would be 100 pages long of all the people who have helped me."

Sisterson is sending out three in the seven-furlong stakes: Everfast, Lexitonian and True TImber. The race will also include names like Whitmore, Mind Control, Firenze Fire, and Complexity. 

Each one of the three starters coming from Sisterson has a runner-up finish in a grade 1 stakes.

"We may be longshots in the race, but the horses are doing well and are up for a test like this. It wouldn't surprise me if one wins and all three run well," Sisterson said. "It's our second year at Saratoga, and each year our horses have blossomed there."

One of the most well-known runners among Sisterson's entries is Everfast, who took second behind War of Will in last year's Preakness Stakes (G1). He moved from Dale Romans' barn to Sisterson's, and he has proved to be more effective in one-turn tests.

Sisterson added blinkers to the runner.

"We didn't add blinkers for speed. He was getting to the front and then idling," he said. "It was to keep him focused. He picked up the speed on his own and that led me to believe we could cut him back in distance."

The 4-year-old Everfast lost by a neck in an April 18 allowance race at Oaklawn Park for Sisterson. He then finished second behind Owendale in the flat mile Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs. Owendale was the third-place finisher in last year's Preakness.

According to Sisterson, it was a mistake to try Everfast on turf. After a ninth-place finish in the Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (G1T), he returned to the main track for a seven-furlong August 1 allowance race at Saratoga. He took his second win in 19 starts and first since debuting at 2. 

"We thought if he ran well at Saratoga, the Forego would be a consideration and he has trained great since that win. He's 4 and could have a bright future at seven furlongs or a mile," said Sisterson. 

Sisterson is pointing Everfast toward the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

Lexitonian was a candidate for the July 25 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1). Following the son of Speightstown's May 29 allowance optional claimer win at Churchill Downs, Sisterson rested him for another week before shipping him to California for the August 1 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) at Del Mar.

He lost by a nose in the six-furlong test, and he has won four of 13 starts.

"He ran a great race in the Bing Crosby," Sisterson said. "I was asking a lot shipping him to Saratoga and then to California, but he was very game and is training forwardly. We expect a big race from him."

True Timber came to Sisterson's barn after original trainer Kiaran McLaughlin retired. 

The Mineshaft 6-year-old finished third in a July 12 allowance optional claimer at Keeneland. He was also the runner-up in the 2018 Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

"He's pretty much known for racing for Kiaran," Sisterson said. "Hopefully we can do some things so that people will associate him with us."