Jerkens Enjoying Life Back Home in a Different Role

On Jan. 10, it was a cold, wet, rainy day in Queens as Jimmy Jerkens stood in the winner's circle at Aqueduct Racetrack. Jerkens, now an assistant trainer for Ken McPeek, was there after a maiden victory by the 3-year-old colt Right to Party, one of about 6 horses McPeek has entrusted with Jerkens in New York. Yet a year earlier, the weather conditions were far different when Jerkens was in Saudi Arabia, working as a private trainer for the stable of Prince Faisal bin Khalid Al Saud. "It was a lot warmer than here," Jerkens said. "It can get cold at night there, but as soon as the sun comes up it heats up. It can go up 20 degrees in an hour and a half. It's not like Aqueduct in January." So why would Jerkens leave the sun and warmth of Saudi Arabia for the cold of the Big A? It wasn't about the weather. In a career path that speaks volumes about the financial reality of being a horse trainer these days, Jerkens made a surprising decision in the spring of 2023 to work in Saudi Arabia. At the time, it was a financial struggle for the son of Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens to keep his New York stable afloat even though he counted two Breeders' Cup wins among his more than 840 career victories and $61.4 million in earnings. But after two years in Saudi Arabia, Jerkens returned home to New York in March to work for McPeek, and he's happy he did. "It's the next best thing to having your own stable," he said. Jerkens said he's highly appreciative that McPeek gives him free rein and his job allows him to concentrate on caring for the horses, which he loved most as a trainer. "I got spoiled in Saudi Arabia. I just had to take care of the horses. I didn't have to worry about the help or anything like that. I just had to take care of the horse end of it, which was great," said Jerkens, who turned 67 on Jan. 24. "It's good with Kenny because he leaves me alone. We talk about everything and he's left day-to-day training to me." McPeek discussed with Jerkens the possibility of working for him when Rattle N Roll ran last year in the Saudi Cup (G1). Jerkens asked McPeek if he would maintain a year-round stable in New York. "After coming home, I didn't want to travel again," Jerkens said. McPeek agreed and a month later, Jerkens was back in the United States, a move that has benefited both men. "Anyone that runs a business has to surround themselves with good people, especially one that's extended across different states like ours is. I've always felt I am only as good as the people I surround myself with," McPeek said. "Jimmy has an obviously high level of talent and has a world of experience. He makes my job easier in the sense that I have made a career out of working sales and developing young horses. But at the same time, I cannot be everywhere at once, and specifically, New York has been problematic for me. I like spending my time in Lexington and Louisville. So, the setup is ideal for both of us." McPeek's team that cares for about 200 horses in training also includes trusted, veteran assistants like Greg Geier at Churchill Downs and Mike Kleier at Oaklawn Park, and he was happy to add Jerkens to the fold and make full use of the talents and experiences of the lifelong horseman. "I tend to leave him alone. I want to know what he's doing, what he's thinking, and he wants to know what I'm thinking. We talk about details but I do not want to micromanage him. If he has a strong opinion about a horse, I listen. Sometimes I do have to make the hard decisions, but for the most part, we're growing together," McPeek said. "Many of my assistants have a depth of experience. If I can't rely on them, then I don't work those sales. Then perhaps I don't get the quality of horses that I need to be successful and I don't get the clients I need." The situation with McPeek is light years removed from Jerkens' time in Saudi Arabia, where Jerkens had success on the racetrack but several other factors soured the experience. For one, his wife, Shirley, could not find a job and returned home to New York six months after her arrival. "It looked like Shirley would get a job, but things got to a standstill and there were no answers about what was happening." Jerkens said. He also faced some medical problems. "I had blood pressure issues and had another stent put in during the first year. I had pneumonia and needed (atrial fibrillation) late in the second year," Jerkens said. "But all is good now." There was also a disconnect between Jerkens and his bosses. So much so that an extension of the original 2-year deal was never discussed. "We did really well the first year and then some things transpired. They bought a bunch of new horses for the next year and I thought it was strange that I didn't get most of them," Jerkens said. "I was surprised at that. It didn't hit right with me and we had a little bit of a disconnect. I didn't know what was behind it and I didn't get a whole lot of answers from anybody. I guess it was their way of evading the issue. I thought they would ask me to come back for another year and that didn't happen. I can't say they were bad to me. They were too aloof and I couldn't get answers." As much as Jerkens enjoys working for McPeek, he has been approached about re-opening his stable. At the moment, he's not interested. "I've gotten support from past owners and new owners to come back. But I haven't pursued it because of the combination of not doing that for a while and I wasn't ready to do it financially. You need a lot of upfront money to do it," said Jerkens, a two-time winner of the Travers Stakes (G1). "It's in my mind, but it has to be the right situation. In New York, it's so hard to make a living. You need the right stock and right people on your side. You have to add everything up and make sure it works. You run into a lull here, it's devastating. It's nothing like when I first started. I had a really good 20 years as a trainer. I'm very proud of what we did. We won a lot of huge races and had a great average earnings per start. But I am happy with what I am doing now." Even on a frigid day at the Big A.