Trainer Phil Gleaves returns to New York

ELMONT, N.Y. – A familiar face is back in New York after a long hiatus, and with any luck – and, he hopes, a fast horse – trainer Phil Gleaves can rekindle past glory.

Gleaves, a former assistant to the legendary Woody Stephens who has trained horses on his own since 1985, is stabled in Saratoga this summer for the first time since 2002. Gleaves had moved to Florida in 2002 because he wanted to keep his son Schuyler based in one school system. Now 19, Schuyler just completed his first year of college.

“I felt this was the time I could possibly move back to New York,” said Gleaves, 60, who purchased a home in Ballston Spa with his wife, Amy. “He was extremely supportive of it.”

After the first horse he ran at Belmont, Fortythreeoeight N, was claimed on May 3, Gleaves has nine horses, all 2-year-olds. He will run Rhythmia, a son of Majestic Warrior, in Thursday’s second race at Belmont.

“Nice colt, has done everything right,” said Gleaves, who broke the horse himself in Ocala, Fla., this winter. “We’re just getting the ball rolling, getting races into these horses, see how they fit, where they fit.

“They’re not all going to be superstars, we know that. There’s a couple in there that look good. Hopefully, one or two that could perform well.”

Among the 2-year-olds Gleaves trains is Mineshaft Blues, a New York-bred daughter of Mineshaft who is co-owned by former Daily Racing Form publisher Steven Crist.

As a writer for the New York Times, Crist first met Gleaves in 1984 when he went to chronicle the career of the Stephens-trained Devil’s Bag, who was among the early favorites for the 1984 Kentucky Derby. Crist and Gleaves struck up a friendship and Crist told Gleaves then that if he ever owned a horse, Gleaves would train it.

“Here we are 35 years later,” said Crist, who purchased this filly for $80,000 along with friend Ken Deregt. “It’s a nice coincidence. I never felt I could own a horse when I was still working at the Form. There’s no conflict of interest and it coincided with Phil’s son going off to college. He wanted to move back to New York.”

Gleaves said he will mainly stay with 2-year-olds and hopes to buy some yearlings this summer.

“I’m quite content with my group of 2-year-olds at this moment,” he said. “When you have a barn of unraced 2-year-olds, there’s always that hope there.”