FTBOA In Reality Upsetter Seminole Chief On Target For Withers
Brad Grady and David Grund's Seminole Chief, a mild upsetter in of a division of a FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes late last year, is on target for Saturday's $250,000 Withers (G3), a 1 1/8-mile test for sophomores offering Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to the top-five finishers.
The Florida-bred Girvin colt, out of the Dunkirk mare Secret Song, graduated at first asking in September in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Finger Lakes. He made his next two outings at Gulfstream Park, posting an off-the-board effort sprinting seven furlongs in the FTBOA Florida Sire Affirmed Oct. 21 before adding blinkers to win the 1 1/16-mile FTBOA Florida Sire In Reality at odds of 12-1 over next-out maiden claiming winner Secret Lover Dec. 2.
Seminole Chief, an $80,000 purchase from the OBS June 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale, breezed 10 times over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga Race Course ahead of his debut.
"He was training well at Saratoga and it takes a very good horse to win first time out there," Sisterson said. "I spoke to the owners and if they hadn't given him the opportunity to go to Finger Lakes, the horse probably wouldn't have done what he's done. I thought he would be good enough to win and win convincingly at Finger Lakes.
"The bigger picture was the Florida Sire series at Gulfstream," Sisterson added. "We were disappointed in his second start, but it was the first time he felt dirt kicked in his face and he slipped right out of it. The addition of blinkers third time did the trick."
Sisterson said he was pleased to win the In Reality for Grady, who campaigned Girvin and co-bred Seminole Chief.
"I spoke to Brad to try to get a gauge on the Girvin offspring,” Sisterson said. “This horse seems hard as nails and Brad said most of the offspring of Girvin are like that. We're excited about him."
Girvin entered stud in 2019 in Florida at Ocala Stud and moved to Airdrie Stud in Central Kentucky for the 2023 season.
Sisterson has notched some of his biggest victories in New York, earning his first graded win at the Big A in the 2018 Tempted (G3) with Oxy Lady. All four of his Grade 1 wins have occurred at NYRA tracks, including scores at Saratoga Race Course by Vexatious [2020 Personal Ensign] and Lexitonian [2021 Alfred G. Vanderbilt]; at Belmont Park with Channel Cat in the 2021 Man o' War; and at Aqueduct with True Timber in the 2020 Cigar Mile Handicap.
“I need to buy one of those t-shirts that says, 'I love New York' on it," said Sisterson, with a laugh. "We've had a lot of success up there."
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