True Timber Could Target Pegasus, Saudi Cup

Cigars and timber are not usually a good pairing. But Calumet Farm's True Timber proved his talent at the highest level with a 5 1/2-length win over Snapper Sinclair in the Dec. 5 Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trainer Jack Sisterson said True Timber will fly to Keeneland Dec. 7 and could start preparations for another challenging race, with the Jan. 23 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) a possibility, along with the $20 million Saudi Cup Feb. 20 at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh.

"He's going on 7, and I don't want to take away what he loves to do, which is train and run," Sisterson said. "He's not slowing down any. You need to capitalize. We'll look to bring him down to Palm Meadows in Florida and look at the Pegasus race form. We've also been invited to the Saudi Cup. We'll look at options like that and stretch him out. It'll be the first time around two turns for us, so we'll train him a little differently and see if he takes to that, and we'll go from there."

True Timber registered his first win since September 2018. The son of Mineshaft  capped his 6-year-old year by capturing a race in which he's come close in the past, having run second, three-quarters of a length behind Patternrecognition, in 2018 and third in 2019 to winner Maximum Security .

"For True Timber, what impressed me the most was proving to people that he could win a big race and do it impressively," Sisterson said. "He showed us in the morning that he has such a will to compete at a level like that. But from the outside looking in, the general public may have questioned his talent. He put forth his best effort, which we knew he had, yesterday."

True Timber gave both his rider and conditioner an early Christmas gift. Jockey Kendrick Carmouche, who has been riding professionally since 2000, earned his first grade 1 victory on the Kentucky-bred.

It also marked the second grade 1 score for Sisterson, who took over True Timber's training duties this summer when Kiaran McLaughlin retired to become a jockey agent. Sisterson, who started on his own as a trainer in 2018, won the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) with Vexatious this summer at Saratoga Race Course.

"It means a lot for me for my staff, who does all the hard work, and to have someone like Kendrick say he'd ride them back, it gave us a lot of confidence and means a lot," Sisterson said. "To be able to team up and win a race like that, it's been a long time coming but a well-deserved victory for Kendrick, who is a talented jockey and deserves a win like that. I didn't give him any instructions. He just told me, 'I got you, brother' before the race in a text. We are just fortunate enough to add one victory to what is hopefully a riding title for him."

Sisterson's other Cigar Mile entrant, Bon Raison, finished last of six but came out of the effort in good order. The 5-year-old son of Raison d'Etat  entered off a 10th-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland and will now receive a freshening after running nine times in 2020.

"We took a shot. He's a homebred and a beautiful horse who has talent, and I think as a plan for him moving forward, he'll get a well-deserved break," Sisterson said. "We think he has a few nice wins in him. Maybe not at that sort of caliber, but if we pick and choose our spots, we can bring him back in the springtime and have some fun with him next year."

Malathaat on Kentucky Oaks Trail after Demoiselle Score

The ability to overcome adversity and a will to win were on full display in the Dec. 5 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) for juvenile fillies at the Big A, when Shadwell Stable's Malathaat overcame unfavorable circumstances with a furious rally to make the grade in her third start.

Breaking from the rail under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Malathaat appeared to be uncomfortable taking some kickback when in behind horses but allowed her class to prevail with a five-wide move around the turn as she collared Millefeuille in the final strides.

"She had to overcome a lot. I was proud of her for persevering," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "When she got in the clear, she put in a strong run. It was an impressive performance considering all the adversity along the road."

In winning the Demoiselle, Malathaat earned 10 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1), scheduled for April 30, 2021, at Churchill Downs. Pletcher said he would like to give her two starts prior to the Oaks, which he won with Ashado (2004), Rags to Riches (2007), and Princess of Sylmar (2013).

Pletcher said the Curlin bay would ship to his winter division at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida this week

"We'll give her an easy month. I don't know what her next target will be. We'll just see how she's doing," Pletcher said.

The Demoiselle was Malathaat's first start going two turns. She is unbeaten in three starts.

Velazquez Considering Options for Remsen Winner Brooklyn Strong

Trainer Daniel Velazquez, who secured his first graded win with Brooklyn Strong in the Dec. 5 Remsen Stakes (G2) at the Big A, is considering a next spot with the son of second-crop sire Wicked Strong .

Brooklyn Strong battled gamely to the outside of Ten for Ten down the stretch, getting the better of his foe by a neck under jockey Joel Rosario.

With a win in the nine-furlong event for juveniles, Brooklyn Strong earned 10 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby (G1), scheduled for May 1, 2021, at Churchill Downs.

Brooklyn Strong returned to Delaware Park following the win and will eventually ship to Parx Racing, where the conditioner keeps a stable of about 20 horses.

Velazquez said he will consider all options for Brooklyn Strong, including the Feb. 6 Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct. The Withers offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers.

"We were so excited. We knew going in that it would be a step up in class against open company, and he proved us right," Velazquez said. "Right now, we just want to make sure we come back healthy. We'll give him a week or two to decompress, maybe Florida, maybe the Withers. We have options. It's just a matter of figuring out what's best."