Dr.Fagerwinning1968WashingtonParkHandicap©KeenelandLibraryTbredTimesCollection

BY JOANN GUIDRY

While some racehorses are said to defy description, Dr. Fager inspired a barnful of them. Take your pick: speed demon; runaway train; fire-breathing dragon; freak of nature; suicidal speedster; heat-seeking missile. All those nicknames and more suited the 16.2 hands, rangy dark bay with just a speck of white on his forehead; his long flowing mane and tail giving him the air of a wild stallion. But it was his undeniable talent, his eyebrow-raising speed that made him a racing legend.

In but 22 starts, Dr. Fager was never worse than third and that only happened once. It should be noted that he won the Jersey Derby but was disqualified to fourth. He posted 18 wins, 16 of those stakes wins, two seconds and one third—all in stakes—and banked $1,002,642. Dr. Fager carried 130 pounds or more in his last eight starts, winning seven of them. And just to round out his resume, he won a stakes race on the grass too. Dr. Fager raced before the 1973 implementation of the North American graded stakes system.

Dr. Fager was an equine sports car with three speeds—fast, faster and record-setting. He set three track records, equaled another and set a world record that at this writing still stands 55 years later. A sprinter at heart, Dr. Fager could also carry his speed, winning beyond a mile with aplomb. No matter the racetrack or the distance, when Dr. Fager broke from the gates, his was a scorched-track racing style.

Dr. Fager raced from 1966-1968, prior to the advent of the Eclipse Awards in 1971 to designate national champions. Beginning in 1950, Daily Racing Form and the Thoroughbred Racing Association each named year-end champions. Usually they coincided, but occasionally there were different divisional champions. Of course, that was not the case with Dr. Fager as he was a unanimous choice by both polls.

In 1967, Dr. Fager was named the North American champion sprinter. And in 1968, he accomplished something no horse has since when he ear ned four North American racing honors: Horse of the Year, champion older horse, champion sprinter and champion grass horse. The proverbial cherry on the top of Dr. Fager’s legacy was his 1971 induction into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame.

In late 1960, William L. McKnight, chairman of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (3M), established a Thoroughbred farm in Ocala. In honor of his Scottish heritage, he named it Tartan Farms. John Nerud, who had been training McKnight’s racehorses for a few years, became the operation’s general manager and trainer. Nerud also owned 25% of the farm and was involved in every major decision that concerned the operation. And that included which stallions the farm’s broodmares would be bred to each year.

For the 1963 breeding season, Nerud decided to send several Tartan mares to Rough’n Tumble, who stood at Ocala Stud. Rough’n Tumble, a stakes winner raced by Harold and Frances Genter, had been brought from Maryland to stand at Ocala Stud by Joe O’Farrell. Rough’n Tumble was t he hot stallion in Ocala at the time, having already sired Florida-bred My Dear Girl, 1959 North American champion 2-year-old filly, and several other stakes winners. One of the Tartan mares sent to Rough’n Tumble that year was Aspidistra, by Better Self out of Tilly Rose, by Bull Brier. t

In 1957, a group of 3M employees had pooled their money, claimed Aspidistra for $6,500 and then given her to McKnight for his 70th birthday. As a racehorse, Aspidistra won a mere $5,115. As a broodmare, she proved to be a gold mine. On April 6, 1964, Aspidistra foaled a dark bay colt by Rough’n Tumble in the afternoon instead of the usual nighttime. Rough’n Tumble had a club foot and Aspidistra’s long-legged foal was born with two. While Rough’n Tumble’s club foot had given him issues all through his life, especially as a stud, that would not be the case for the big bay colt.

When Aspidistra’s colt was a yearling, Nerud suffered a head injury after being thrown from his pony horse while chasing a runaway at Aqueduct. A month later he underwent emergency brain surgery to remove a blood clot that had formed in the aftermath. Then a second operation had to be performed to relieve pressure on Nerud’s brain. Only then did Nerud begin to fully recover. And the rest of the story is that the neurosurgeon who twice saved Nerud’s life was Dr. Charles Fager.

On July 15, 1966, Dr. Fager, carrying the Tartan Stable silks and trained by Nerud, broke his maiden by seven lengths at Aqueduct. He followed that with an eight-length score in an allowance race on Aug. 13 at Saratoga. Nerud dropped Dr. Fager into the World Playground Stakes on Sept. 10 at Atlantic City and he won by 12 lengths. Back to Aqueduct for the Cowdin on Oct. 5 and Dr. Fager won by three-quarters of a length.

Dr. Fager reportedly came out of the Cowdin with a filling in a knee. Nonetheless, Nerud paid the $10,000 supplemental fee and entered the Tartan Stable runner in the Champagne on Oct. 15 at Aqueduct. After setting sizzling opening fractions of :22 2/5, :44 4/5 and 1:09 2/5, Dr. Fager drifted out deep stretch in his first mile test. That cost him the win and he finished second by a length to Successor, the 1966 champion 2-year-old colt. Successor would be one of only two horses to ever beat Dr. Fager in his career. The other horse was the great Damascus, the 1967 Horse of the Year, who managed to best Dr. Fager twice. And in turnaround is fair play, Dr. Fager also beat Damascus twice. Seven months to the day after his loss in the Champagne, Dr. Fager began his 3-year-old campaign.

On April 15, 1967, he entered the starting gates for the Gotham at Aqueduct. Also in the nine-horse field was Damascus, who was the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby. The race was basically a twohorse race with Damascus leading until Dr. Fager engaged him in deep stretch. Dr. Fager bested Damascus by a half-length, finishing the mile in 1:35 1/5.

A little less than a month later, Dr. Fager signaled what the future held in the Withers on May 13 at Aqueduct. He cruised to a six-length victory, winning in 1:33 4/5 for the mile. His six-furlong time in the race of 1:08 was faster than the track record for that distance and his mile time was the fastest mile ever run at a New York racetrack by a 3-year-old.

Then a still controversial incident happened in the Jersey Derby on May 30 at Garden State Park. Dr. Fager was leading a four-horse field going into the clubhouse turn when Air Rights and Gallant Moment bumped twice. In Reality, just inside Dr. Fager, was forced to steady and then came in on the former transgressors. Meanwhile, Dr. Fager had seemingly avoided the traffic jam and rolled on to win by six-and-a-half lengths. Yet a steward’s inquiry inexplicably disqualified Dr. Fager to fourth with fellow Florida-bred In Reality awarded the win. In an interesting note, In Reality, bred and raced by Frances Genter, had been foaled at Tartan Farms in 1964.

That disqualification would only be a speed bump as the fire had been stoked in Dr. Fager as he then went on a tear beginning with a 10-length win in the Arlington Park Classic on June 24. He then produced a four-and-a-quarterlength victory in the Rockingham Special on July 15; and a win by a length-and-a-quarter in the New Hampshire Sweepstakes Classic on Sept. 2. In winning the Rockingham Special, Dr. Fager set a track record of 1:48 1/5 for the mile-and-an-eighth. He encored that with a track record of 1:59 4/5 for a mile-and-a-quarter in winning the NH Sweepstakes Classic.

Dr. Fager would next face Damascus again, this time in the Woodward on Sept. 30 at Aqueduct. Damascus had been upset in the Kentucky Derby, finishing third to Proud Clarion, but had rebounded to win both the Preakness and Belmont. Also in t he field was Buckpasser, the 1966 Horse of the Year, and Hedevar, who was Damascus’s stablemate and rabbit.

Hedevar and Dr. Fager got into a speed duel, going 1:09 1/5 for the opening six furlongs of the mile-and-a-quarter Woodward. Damascus rolled on past t hem, winning by 10 lengths ahead of Buckpasser with Dr. Fager third. Dr. Fager and Damascus were now even with each posting a victory over the other.

Dr. Fager shook off the loss like it had never happened.

On Oct. 21, he won the Hawthorne Gold Cup by two-and-a-half lengths. Two weeks later, he sped to victory in the Vosburgh Handicap on Nov. 7 at Aqueduct. His winning time for the seven furlongs was 1:21 3/5.

In his 1967 season, Dr. Fager had posted seven stakes wins and a third in a stakes in nine starts. He had set two track records at two different distances on his way to banking $484,194. Dr. Fager was named the 1967 North American champion sprinter.

Dr. Fager began his 4-year-old season on May 4, 1968, in the Roseben Handicap at Aqueduct. He was assigned 130 pounds, the highest weight at that point in his career, and he would never carry less the rest of the season. Dr. Fager cruised to a three-length victory over the outstanding sprinter Tumiga, stopping the clock at 1:21 2/5 for the seven furlongs. Nerud then flew him West for the Californian at Hollywood Park on May 18. Again carrying 130, Dr. Fager rolled to another three-length tally, this time besting champion filly Gamely, who toted 116 pounds. The final time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth in the Californian was 1:40 4/5.

Sent back to his Aqueduct home base to prepare for the Metropolitan Mile, Dr. Fager suffered a serious setback. Like his dam Aspidistra, Dr. Fager had always been prone to bouts of colic and he was struck with a case so severe that he had to be given three times the normal dose of relaxant to recover.

It would cost Dr. Fager a start in the Met Mile and a slow return to training.

Seven weeks after his colic bout, Dr. Fager started in the Suburban Handicap on July 4 at Aqueduct. He was assigned 132 while arch rival Damascus carried 133. Right out of the gates, Dr. Fager sped to the lead with Damascus racing right alongside. The grand duo remained inches apart, hitting the mile mark in 1:34 3/5 when Damascus, who eventually finished third, conceded to Dr. Fager, who rolled on to win by two lengths. Dr. Fager’s winning time of 1:59 3/5 for the mile-anda-quarter equaled the track record. And Dr. Fager now had a 2-1 advantage over Damascus.

A mere two weeks later, Dr. Fager and Damascus faced each other again in the Brooklyn Handicap on July 20 at Aqueduct. Dr. Fager was assigned 135 pounds and Damascus 130. Also entered was Damascus’s rabbit Hedevar to ensure a speed duel with Dr. Fager. Although under a strangle hold, Dr. Fager engaged Hedevar, the latter going the first half-mile in :45 4/5 before Dr. Fager took the lead at the six-furlong mark in 1:09 2/5.

But when Damascus came charging, Dr. Fager couldn’t respond. Damascus won by two and a half lengths in track record time of 1:59 1/5 for the mile-and-a-quarter. It would be the last time that Dr. Fager and Damascus met, ending their splendid rivalry at a two-two draw.

Dr. Fager shook off the Brooklyn Handicap loss like it was an annoying barn fly. Two weeks later, he embarked on a four-race winning skein for the ages. On Aug. 3 at Saratoga, Dr. Fager, carrying 132 pounds, romped to a dominating eight-length win in the Whitney. His winning time for the mile-and-an-eighth was 1:48 4/5.

As impressive as that win was, something legendary was to come in the Washington Park Handicap on Aug. 24 at Arlington Park. In a vain attempt to slow him down, Dr. Fager was assigned to carry 134 pounds but it would prove inconsequential.

Breaking from the nine post, Dr. Fager raced five-wide down the backstretch while Hedevar posted :22 4/5 for the first quarter. But in the blink of an eye, Dr. Fager overtook Hedevar and the clock flashed :44. The latter fraction meant that Dr. Fager had run an astonishing :20 3/5 quarter. Still four-wide on the turn, Dr. Fager’s six-furlong time was a take-your-breath-away 1:07 3/5. There was no catching and no stopping Dr. Fager as he rocketed across the finish line to win by 10 lengt hs.

On the tote board, a winning time of 1:32 1/5 for the mile seemed like an error. But it wasn’t. It was correct and a world record for a mile on the dirt, one that endures nearly 55 years later.

A world record could be a good stopping point for a racehorse’s career. But Nerud knew Dr. Fager had plenty left in the tank and he was right.

In a sur prise move, Nerud next entered Dr. Fager in the United Nations Handicap on the grass. Despite never having run on the grass, Dr. Fager was assigned 134 pounds. Particularly noteworthy because it was 16 more pounds than the 118 assigned to Fort Marcy, the 1967 grass champion. Advocator, the other top horse in the race, was assigned 112.

As expected, Dr. Fager was up to the challenge.

He battled with Advocator down the stretch before prevailing by a neck. Fort Marcy finished third. Winning time for the mile and three-sixteenths was 1:55 1/5.

Nerud had one card left to play, retiring Dr. Fager as a millionaire. Given a much-deserved break following his United Nations Handicap win, Dr. Fager would make the last start of his career in the Vosburgh Handicap on Nov. 2 at Aqueduct. He was assigned 139 pounds but again the weight didn’t matter. Dr. Fager led gate to wire, winning by six lengths in new track record time of 1:20 1/5 for the seven furlongs.

And as a bonus, he became a millionaire to close out one of the most remarkable careers in racing history.

Dr. Fager was named the North American Horse of the Year, champion older male, champion sprinter and champion grass horse. A record four-championships mantle he still wears to date.

Syndicated for a reported $3.2 million, Dr. Fager entered stud at Tartan Farms in 1969. In 1971, Dr. Fager became the first Florida-bred to be inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.

Unfortunately, he was only 12 when he died on Aug. 5, 1976, from a lethal bout of colic.

In his short stud career, he sired 35 stakes winners, including Florida-bred national champions Dearly Precious (1975 champion 2-year-old filly) and Dr. Patches (1978 champion sprinter). The year after his death, Dr. Fager was the 1977 leading general sire by progeny earnings in North America. One last honor for a true oncein-a-lifetime champion. TFH

1964 BAY COLT BY ROUGH’N TUMBLE –ASPIDISTRA, BY BETTER SELF

BREEDER: TARTAN FARMS CORP.

OWNER: TARTAN RACING STABLE

TRAINER: JOHN NERUD

CAREER RACE RECORD/EARNINGS

22-18-2-1/$1,002,642

CAREER STAKES WINS

1966 WORLD’S PLAYGROUND STAKES

COWDIN STAKES

1967 GOTHAM STAKES

WITHERS STAKES

ARLINGTON PARK CLASSIC

ROCKINGHAM SPECIAL

NEW HAMPSHIRE CLASSIC

HAWTHORNE GOLD CUP HANDICAP

VOSBURGH HANDICAP

1968 ROSEBEN HANDICAP

CALIFORNIAN STAKES

SUBURBAN HANDICAP

WHITNEY STAKES

WASHINGTON PARK HANDICAP

UNITED NATIONS HANDICAP

VOSBURGH HANDICAP

HIGHEST HONORS

1967 CHAMPION SPRINTER

1968 HORSE OF THE YEAR/CHAMPION

OLDER MALE/CHAMPION SPRINTER/ CHAMPION GRASS HORSE

1971 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF RACING HALL OF FAME INDUCTION

From coast to coast, Florida’s tax-friendly, pro-business environment is poised and n No tax on stallion seasons n No personal state income tax n No individual capital gains tax n Florida’s greenbelt exemption provides property tax breaks for Florida horse farms n Physical climate allows for year-round training, racing, showing and business opportunities

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

Wilton Simpson, Commissioner www.FDACS.gov n n