Already with success at Saratoga, the former assistant to Doug O’Neill brings a select group of horses about two months before the meet begins.

Some trainers look forward to the middle or the end of April, depending on the weather, to bring their horses to the Oklahoma Training Track as way of preparing for the Saratoga Race Course meet while racing them at Belmont Park.

In the mix of horses from Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher, Christophe Clement, Bill Mott, Kenny McPeek, Jorge Abreu, and Jeremiah Englehart who are breezing or galloping over the Oklahoma Training Track, there is another trainer who is looking to follow this trend that has proven to be successful: Jack Sisterson.

About a week after the Kentucky Derby, Sisterson brought his stable and team from Keeneland to Barn 84 near the Oklahoma Track to get his horses acclimated to the area.

“It’s nice to be back here. It’s a nice barn,” said Sisterson, who was once a hotwalker for Pletcher at Churchill Downs. “If you ship in a week before a race, you have to give them adequate time to adjust and settle. Over the two months before the meet starts, the horses have settled quickly and continue to forward in the right direction and compete for me.”

Over the last five years, Sisterson has solidified himself at Saratoga and on the New York Racing Association circuit. This includes two upsets in Grade 1 races at Saratoga for Calumet Farm: Lexitonian in the 2022 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap and Vexatious in the 2020 Personal Ensign Stakes. He also won the Man o’ War Stakes with Channel Cat in 2022 and Cigar Mile Handicap with True Timber in 2020.

This year, Sisterson has seen the Winner’s Circle over 20 percent of the time from nearly 50 runners, including Malleymoo who won the Penn Oaks last month at Penn National. On that same day, British-bred Behind Enemy Lines came up three-quarters of a length short to multiple graded stakes winner Major Dude in the Penn Mile.

Sisterson knows that it’s not an easy task to compete against the top-level horses and trainers at Saratoga and the New York circuit, but he’s grateful for the opportunities.

“It’s humbling to complete at a level like Saratoga and the New York circuit,” he said. “It’s so difficult to have a horse to compete at this level. I have to thank the owners for supporting me to send those type of horses to compete here.”

He also attributes his success to his staff – and the horses are aware of it, too.

“I have a great staff,” he said. “They are a small group of guys who are part of a team environment. We say ‘good morning’ and chat with each other. The horses sense that. They seem to gravitate to the front of the stalls and bright-eyed. They are happy and we have seen good results.”

Prior to becoming a private trainer for Calumet Farm in 2018 and recently taking other clients, Sisterson gained valuable experience by working with horses throughout the East Coast as an assistant for California-based trainer Doug O’Neill.

Sisterson had a unique starting experience with O’Neill when I’ll Have Another won his career debut in July 2011 at Hollywood Park. Then the following year, the horse continued an impressive streak of victories in the Santa Anita Derby, the Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness before it was abruptly due to a tendon injury in the left front leg that forced him out of the Belmont a day before the race.

Four years later, Sisterson was part of Nyquist’s undefeated streak that included the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, the Florida Derby, and the Kentucky Derby. From there, Sisterson helped set up O’Neill’s small stable of horses at Saratoga, which included stakes winners Irap, Mopotism, Pavel, and Cause We Are Loyal.

Toward the end of the Saratoga meet that year, Sisterson just moved to Keeneland to prepare for the meet, which meant he didn’t saddle Ralis to win the 2015 Hopeful Stakes. However, he did get a chance to see another 2-year-old win a Grade 1 stakes that fall: Gomo taking the Darley Alcibiades.

“A lot of times, I was traveling back and forth between the East Coast and West Coast,” Sisterson said. “I enjoyed traveling. I didn’t have any commitments. It was really enjoyable traveling with good horses.”

“I also learned how to treat the horses and people well,” he added. “You are only good as the horses and the staff. You have to treat your staff with a lot of respect. In return, they will give that back to you.”

Going into the Saratoga meet, Sisterson is hoping that at least one of his select group of 21 horses will give something back to him as well. Despite prior success at Saratoga, he still knows the meet can be a daunting task.

So far, besides Mallymoo and Behind Enemy Lines, he has other horses at Saratoga who have already won a race this year: Baby Billy, Detroit City, and Cartographer. While Behind Enemy Lines is considering the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Stakes on Aug. 4, Sisterson indicated that he will leave his options open for Mallymoo. As for the remaining horses, including his two-year-olds, Sisterson knows he has to strategize.

“I guess you have to be selective with the horses to bring to Saratoga. It’s not easy,” he said. “It’s all about putting them in the right spots and places. They have greatly settled here. We’ll have to see how they train and where they fit in the condition book.”

The Saratoga meet starts July 13 for the four-day weekend and closes on Sept. 4 as part of the Labor Day Weekend. Along with by the 154th edition of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers for 3-year-olds on Aug. 26, older horses will be competing in the 95th the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Aug. 5.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — FC4 Events hosted the annual Firecracker4 Road Race in downtown Saratoga Springs on July 4.

The Firecracker4 Road Race is in its 17th year, held each Independence Day in downtown Saratoga. It is the longest and largest Independence Day race in the Northeast, according to a press release.

The four-mile course started on Broadway in front of the Saratoga Springs City Center, taking runners through the city.

EUGENE, Oregon — Ballston Spa junior standout Harriet Healey went west on June 15, competing at the 2023 Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon.

Healey placed sixth in 400-meters in the Emerging Elites division, with a time of 57.35 seconds. She also placed 26th in the Championship division 400-meter hurdles, with a time of 1:06.44 seconds.

On Saturday, June 10, Healey won the NYSPHSAA Division 1 state championship in the 400-meter hurdles, with a time of 1:02.01 seconds.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — FC4 Events will be hosting two annual road races this month: The Firecracker4 Road Race and Silks & Satins 5K.

The Firecracker4 Road Race is held each Independence Day in downtown Saratoga Springs. In its 17th year supporting more than 2,500 runners, it is the longest and largest Independence Day race in the Northeast, with a growing Kid’s .02 mile run immediately before, starting at 8:15 a.m.

The four-mile course starts on Broadway in front of the Saratoga Springs City Center. Runners will start down Broadway and turn into the city. This race draws people from all over the country (and world!), so be sure to register: areep.com/events/fc4/.

Silks & Satins 5K will take place Saturday, July 15 from 8-10 a.m. in Saratoga Springs. Held on the first Saturday of track season, the Silks and Satins 5K is a celebration of the Saratoga Springs community and the opening of the track. 

Register to run the Silks and Satins 5K online at www.zippy-reg.com/online_reg/index.php?e=1828. Register to volunteer at www.zippy-reg.com/volunteer/sign-up/?eventID=1828.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs City School District has announced the hiring of John Goodson as the next Director of Physical Education, Athletics, and Health.

Goodson had spent the previous 13 years in the same position at the Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District. He will assume the role on July 17, according to a statement on the SSCSD website.

Goodson said his time at Jamesville-DeWitt has been “great,” and said he and his wife are looking forward to joining the Saratoga Springs community.

“My wife and I are both looking forward to Saratoga, for what Saratoga has to offer,” said Goodson. “The school, the community. The history of the program is strong and rich. I’m looking forward to working with their program.”

“We are excited to welcome John Goodson to our district leadership team,” said SSCSD Superintendent Dr. Michael Patton in a statement. “John has a very strong background as an athletic administrator, and Jamesville-DeWitt has earned the distinction of being one of the top high school interscholastic athletic programs in the state under John’s leadership. John is looking forward to working closely with our students, teachers, coaches, parents, and the community and continuing the outstanding programs and opportunities that are available to all students here in Saratoga Springs.”

Goodson said he was drawn to the culture of Saratoga and noted the community involvement in the district stood out during his interview process.

“I just love hearing, coming from the superintendent and then every stakeholder in the interview, the value of having leadership in the field of health, physical education, and athletics,” Goodson said. “It wasn’t all just about student-athletes. It was about their overall mental health, physical health. It was just so refreshing.”

Goodson is to replace Nicholas McPartland, who has accepted a role as Principal at Queensbury Middle School. Patton thanked McPartland for his dedication to the district in a statement posted to the district website.

“I would like to thank Nick McPartland for the tremendous job he has done for the past four years leading our physical education, health, and athletics department. Nick has developed a close working relationship with our student-athletes, coaches, and our community and will be missed,” said Patton in the statement. 

Prior to his role at Jamesville-DeWitt, Goodson had served as Director of Health, Physical Education, and Athletics at both the Johnson City Central School District and Sherburne-Earlville Central School District. 

Goodson, a native of Clinton, earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education at Ithaca College, and a master’s degree in athletic administration at the University of Northern Colorado, the release states. He has also received a certificate of advanced study from SUNY Cortland in educational leadership.

He stressed the importance of providing well-rounded care in health, physical education, and athletics, saying keeping students at “the center of our decision-making” will be a top priority.

“They’re the reason that we go to work every day,” Goodson said. “There’s a ton of experiences that I have, both in municipal, intercollegiate, high school athletics. But I’m always going to keep the student as my center, as my focus.”

Goodson said his first step in his new role will be simply “to listen.”

“I want to hear what they’ve been working on,” said Goodson. “I want the people to be involved in setting the mission statement, if you will, and setting the action plan. That’s what I’ll be doing. I’ll be meeting with all the stakeholder groups, listening, and then developing an action plan to move forward.”

SHREVEPORT, LA — Jessica Alaynick from the Jason Morris Judo Center in Glenville won a Gold Medal in the +78kg division June 17 at the Junior Judo Olympics, held at the Shreveport Convention Center in Louisiana. 

This event was also the qualifier for Team USA to compete at the Junior World Judo Championships later this year in Coimbra, Portugal, from Oct 4-7.

Alaynick became the 29th overall athlete from the JMJC to make a Jr. World team, which includes Jessica’s older brother Chris, who was a Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School Graduate.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The sun was shining on Lake Lonely for the annual Father’s Day Kids’ Fishing Derby on June 18, as kids and their fathers or guardians spent the morning casting out their lines.

The Derby, which is free to attend, offered free food and drinks along with prizes for participating kids.

“Hopefully it’ll lead some kids down the right track,” said Dan Price, a member of the Saratoga Basspointers Club.

The Saratoga Springs Police and Fire Departments were on hand, bringing along a police horse and firetruck for interactions and photos. Members of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation participate as well, helping show kids how to properly catch and release fish.

“I like when the DEC comes, because they really go to the kids and say, ‘This is how you get them, this is how you put them back,’” said Price. “It’s a learning thing too.”

The derby is sponsored by the Saratoga Basspointers Club, the Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 2586, Saratoga Springs Professional Firefighters Union No. 343, Saratoga Springs Recreation Department, Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge No. 161, D&D Marine Services, Saratoga Tackle, Wiggly Worm, and other local organizations.

Members of the Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge were also on hand, relaying information to parents regarding the Elks National Foundation Drug Awareness Program.

The derby offers prizes for several categories: pike, sunfish, bass, and pickerel. Price said that prizes would be given out to each kid who participated.

“(We’re) trying to get these kids into it,” Price said. “I remember my first fish.”

With a large crowd in attendance, Price made note of the community involvement, saying a participant at a recent fishing tournament donated his proceeds to the Derby.

“We had a guy that won second place the other day, he said, ‘This is for the kids,’ which was really cool,” Price said. “The kids get a kick out of it, that’s the biggest thing.”