Tax scratches from Oklahoma Derby; on to the Breeders' Cup?
Trainer Danny Gargan said Sunday morning that Tax, the multiple graded stakes winner who sat at 4-1 as the third choice on the Oklahoma Derby (G3) morning line, scratched from the Remington Park feature due to a “shipping fever” spiked after the trip from New York.
“We decided it would be in our best interest not to take a chance and try to get him sick,” Gargan said. “We’ll fly him back to Belmont and go from there.”
The temperature returned to normal once Tax settled in for Sunday night’s race, Gargan said, “but it’s just not worth taking. shot.”
Since the 3-year-old gelding by Arch ran seventh in the Travers Stakes (G1), Gargan named both turf and dirt options for Tax, ultimately committing to the 1 1/8-mile Oklahoma Derby also headlined by Mucho Gusto and Owendale, who also competed in the Travers.
Post time for the Oklahoma Derby, Race 12 at Remington, is 9:24 p.m. ET.
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Gargan’s turf race of choice, Belmont Park’s Hill Prince (G2) set for Saturday, likely comes back too quickly for a horse that will be on an awkward schedule having shipped but not raced.
“I don’t know what I’m doing next race-wise,” Gargan said. “As bad as everybody ran yesterday, I might just train him up to the Breeders’ Cup.”
That would be the Nov. 2 Classic at Santa Anita Park.
Two "Win and You're In" qualifiers were run Saturday for the division. Gargan was more so relating to odds-on favorite McKinzie's defeat in Santa Anita Park's Awesome Again (G1). Earlier in the day, Vino Rosso was disqualified to second after beating Code of Honor to the wire by a nose in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Belmont Park.
Tax, who’s campaigned by R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Lunch, Hugh and Corms Racing Stable, won Saratoga’s Jim Dandy (G2) two starts back; placed in the Wood Memorial (G2); and won the Withers Stakes (G3). Not bad for a former $50,000 claim tagged by Gargan out of a maiden race last year at Keeneland.
In all, Tax is 3-2-1 in nine starts with earnings approaching $800,000.