Colins Ghost

How many horses can match the career of Dr. Fager? He won races from seven furlongs to a mile and a quarter – breaking track, stakes, and world records along the way. Of his 18 career wins, Steve Haskin wrote it was his only race on turf, in the 1968 United Nations, that “may have been Dr. Fager’s greatest performance.”

Image: John Nerud and Dr. Fager in an advertisement from the Thoroughbred Record, January 13, 1968

According to Haskin, trainer John Nerud entered Dr. Fager in the U.N. to drum up publicity for the race but had no intention of actually running. On August 24th, Dr. Fager broke the world record mark for a mile at Arlington Park, eighteen days later, Nerud decided to run him in the prestigious turf race at Atlantic City. Nerud said later, “I thought ‘Hell, I’ll send him down there and show them he could do anything.”

In spite of his lack of turf experience, the track handicapper assigned him high weight of 134 pounds. He would be spotting the field anywhere from 12 to 22 pounds. Add to that, his competition included Australian champion Tobin Bronze; Flit-to, the 1967 winner of the U.N.; multiple grass stakes winner More Scents; Irish Rebellion, winner of the Pan American Handicap; and the the 1967 D.C. International winner and turf champ Fort Marcy.

But, with all that talent in the race, it was the 30 to 1 Advocator (carrying only 112 pounds) who gave Dr. Fager one the toughest races of his career. Advocator had won multiple stakes on the dirt and finished second in the 1966 Kentucky Derby. While untested on the turf, Advocator had the blood to run well on the weeds, his sire – Round Table – was (and is) considered one of the best grass horses in American racing history.

Watch Dr. Fager refuse to lose the 1968 U.N. at Atlantic City:

Here is how Harry Hoffman from the Atlantic City Press, described Dr. Fager’s victory:

“Dr Fager earned his PhD in courage at the Atlantic City Race Course Wednesday.

“Hooked from start to finish by lightweight Advocator for the mile and three-sixteenths of the $100,000 United Nations Handicap, this super horse called on all of his courage in the final yards to best his determined foe by a neck at the wire.

“It was a brilliant performance by a brilliant horse, and his trainer John Nerud called it ‘Dr. Fager’s toughest race,’ as he toasted his champion an hour after the important victory.

“‘I believe that Dr. Fager proved that he is the Horse of the Year, the horse of any year, out there today,’ commented the happy trainer. ‘It was his first trip on the grass and last night’s rain certainly didn’t help him. I would have liked it much more if it had not rained and the footing had stayed a bit firmer. But Dr. Levy [Chairman of the Board, Atlantic City Racing Association] was counting on us to go. There had been a lot of publicity throughout the country on Dr. Fager’s appearance, and we couldn’t pull out just because of the rain’

“Dr. Fager was sent off at 4 to 5 by the 16,557 fans, and the odds would been a lot less if it were not his first test over the infield course.

“Dr. Fager was carrying 134 pounds, conceding 16 pounds to grass champions Fort Marcy and Tobin Bronze. As it turned out Advocator, with a feathery burden of 112, was the chief rival for the Tartan Stable speedball

“Two Panamanian riders Braulio Baeza aboard Dr. Fager and Laffitt Pncay Jr. astride Advocator, sent their steeds out of the starting gate together.

Image: Clip from the Atlantic City Press listing the writers covering the 1968 U.N.

“Advocator had the hedge and Pincay made good use of that advantage to save every inch of grass, while Baeza had Dr. Fager away from the hedge. In most of his races, except when he is opposed by the ‘rabbit’ Hedevar, Dr. Fager is able to steal away from his foes early and go winging along on his own pace, until Baeza asks him for something extra to ward off any challenges by the late runners.

“But Pincay and Advocator did not allow that to happen in the spectacular UN. Pincay kept Advocator right alongside Dr. Fager down the backstretch, applying pressure every step of the way. Leaving the backstretch, Pincay applied extra pressure on his own horse and took almost a length lead.

“However, Dr. Fager responded to that challenge by letting out another notch himself to regain a slight advantage entering the stretch. But still Ada L. Rice’s Advocator refused to fold before the Horse of the Year. Back he came along the inside to shove his determined head in front again with about and eighth of a mile to go.

“Now it was Dr. Fager’s turn to show the enthralled racing fans why he deserves his many accolades. Even though the softened grass and the 134 pounds and the 22 pounds he was conceding his rival were working against his making the lead again, make it he did.

“Baeza applied some extra hand pressure and pushed his neck back in front seconds before the duelers flashed across the finish line….

“…Dr. Fager went the distance in 1:55 1/5, one-fifth seconds off the track record set last year by Fit-to while carrying only 110 pounds over a firm course…

“…Trainer Nerud hedged a bit when asked about future plans for his great thoroughbred, ‘Right now I want to enjoy this victory champagne and let Dr. Fager relax for a while. Then we’ll see what we’ll do with him. This was a very tough race. He was hooked every step of the way. He certainly earned a rest after that performance.’

“Jockey Baeza never considered using a whip to ask Dr. Fager for something extra in the stirring stretch duel, ‘This horse goes on his own courage. He would sulk, if I hit him. I just use my hands to urge him. He came back strong at the end. I was never certain we had it won until I saw the finish line. The other horse ran a strong race, and Dr. Fager had to be the best to win it.’

“Dr. Leon Levy, chairman of the board at Atlantic City Race Course, called Dr. Fager’s victory, ‘My greatest thrill in racing. It was a stirring performance by a great horse. We have never had a better horse race or a better horse run over the track. It was a very moving as those two battled to the wire and Dr. Fager stuck his neck out to victory. I certainly would not have liked to see him lose here. He’s a great champion’

After his grueling win in Atlantic City, Nerud gave Dr, Fager nearly two months off before entering him in the Vosburgh at Aqueduct. On November 2, 1968, in the final start of his career, Dr. Fager finished first under an astounding 139 pounds. He completed the 7 furlongs in 1:20 1/5 – breaking the track record and missing the world record by only a fifth of a second.

UPDATE: Ron Micetic was kind enough to scan and send along the program cover and page from the 1968 United Nations (below). Ron shared a copy of the program from War Admiral’s maiden win a few months ago. Thanks Ron!

SOURCES, NOTES, AND OBSERVATIONS

“Dr. Fager Assigned 134 for U.N. ‘Cap,” Atlantic City Press, September 10, 1968
“Dr. Fager Favored in Debut on Grass,” Atlantic City Press, September 11, 1968
“Dr. Fager Wins U.N. ‘Cap by Neck,” Atlantic City Press, September 12, 1968

Steve Haskin, Dr. Fager: Racing’s Top Record Setter (Eclipse Press: 2007)

Needless to say, I was thrilled to find video of the ‘68 U.N. at YouTube. Thanks to YouTube user cf1970. S/he has compiled a great collection of classic races, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/user/cf1970

UPDATE (7/3/09): Read Charles Hatton on Dr. Fager’s ‘68 campaign from Dan Illman’s FormBlog

Check out more history of the United Nations and Round Table in a post from last year.

I will be in the house for this year’s running of the United Nations at Monmouth on Saturday — very much looking forward to it.

THANKS FOR READING AND GOOD LUCK!

On Saturday, Monmouth Park hosts the United Nations Handicap. In honor of the great American turf race, let’s look at a horse considered by many as the best turf runner in American racing history: Round Table.

Image: Round Table wins 1959 United Nations, Thoroughbred Record, September 26, 1959

But first a little background on the United Nations:

Run for the first time in 1953 at the Atlantic City Race Course, it was, at the time, the richest turf event in the U.S. A Chilean bred, Iceberg II, won the first running, breaking the track record for the mile and three sixteenths (1:55 4/5) in front of over 20,000 fans. The New York Times added these details to the story of the first U.N.:

“With the Chilean national flag fluttering overhead, the winning owner led the 7-1 shot into the victor’s circle. H.A. Luro, the trainer, and [jockey Jorge] Contreras patted his neck as a blanket of blue and white gardenia was draped on him….”

“Rudecindo Ortega Masson, Chilean Ambassador to Washington and permanent representative of his country at the United Nations, was joined by Mrs. Masson as he presented the trophy to the winning owner. The crown piece of the trophy is a clock, giving the time in all the world zones. It is set into a globe and surmounts a handsome pedestal

“The triple turf classic, carrying an aggregate of $100,00 in added money, a race series unique on United States turf courses, was inaugurated this year by the Atlantic City Racing Association. It has as its main purposes the fostering of better relations between nations and the selection, ultimately, of the ‘turf course horse of the year.’ The turf course here is one of the nation’s finest.”

One of the most historically significant United Nations was the 1968 running when Dr. Fager scored his only victory on turf, less then a month after his world record mile in Chicago. After being headed in the stretch and fighting back to win by a neck, Dr. Fager’s trainer John Nerud told reporters: “My horse is not a grass horse, he won on class and heart alone…I have to repeat: He is not a good horse on the turf.” Dr. Fager would run his final race just two months later, winning the Vosburgh by six lengths carrying 139 pounds!

Image: Cover of The Blood Horse with the 3-year-old Round Table winning the 1957 United Nations, September 31, 1957

Dr. Fager might be the best racehorse to ever win the United Nations but Round Table was the best turf horse to win it. It was on turf where Round Table carved his niche in racing history. Round Table won 43 of 66 starts. He won 14 of 16 starts on grass. Of those 14 victories, writer John McEvoy called Round Table’s 1959 United Nations “perhaps his best race ever.” Round Table won the 1957 U.N. as a three-year-old and lost the race by a half length the following year. Prior to the running of the 1959 U.N., in what would be Round Table’s final turf start, the great writer Joe Hirsch wrote:

“Now, at 5, as he keeps winning the big ones with his weight up in the relentlessly professional thoroughness of the New York Yankees in Ruth’s day and DiMaggio’s, the applause grows louder with each passing hour until it is a crescendo of appreciation and admiration for one of the greatest performers in the history of U.S. racing.”

Chicago was one of Round Table’s many adopted homes (he won races at 15 different tracks). John McEvoy wrote a brilliant introduction to his book Round Table about his days watching and following his favorite horse as a Chicago area native. The Chicago Tribune reported on Round Table’s 14th turf victory in the 1959 United Nations Handicap:

“Atlantic City, Sept. 19 — Round Table stopped here Saturday on his coast-to-coast fund raising tour and picked up another quick $65,000. The world’s richest thoroughbred – his nest-egg now stands at $1,679,539 – captured the seventh running of Atlantic City’s United Nations handicap, just as he did the fifth edition two years ago…

“In capturing his 30th stakes, and in moving closer to the two million dollar goal, set by owner Travis Kerr, Round Table carried the highest impost of his career over the mile and 3-16th on grass. By shouldering 136 pounds, including Willie Shoemaker, he conceded from 14 to 22 pounds to the classy opposition…

“…His time of 1:55 1-5 was only three-fifths over the course record set a year ago when Clem, under 113 pounds, beat Round Table by a half a length in the same race. Since Shoemaker had the mount that afternoon on Clem, Saturday’s success was his third consecutively.

“In winning his seventh race in eight tries since suffering a quarter crack at Santa Anita last February, Round Table got off alertly, with only Li’l Fella ahead of him. They ran in that order, with Tudor Era challenging, all the way around the grass oval until the favorite took charge turning into the straightaway. He got clear and finished driving, with Shoemaker never having to go to the whip.

“For Round Table, which will be shipped to New York Monday for next Saturday’s Woodward engagement with Hillsdale and Sword Dancer, this was the 42nd victory in 63 races. He has lost on the grass only twice – in the upset here by Clem and in the Washington’s birthday test when he was injured in the course of the race.”

Round Table ran his final three races at Aqueduct on dirt — losing the Woodward to Sword Dancer a week after the U.N., winning the Manhattan Handicap two weeks later, and losing again to Sword Dancer in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Round Table returned to his birthplace, Claiborne Farm, for stud duty and died in 1987 at the age of 33.

Good luck this weekend and a Happy 4th of July!

NOTES AND ADDITIONAL SOURCES

Iceberg II Breaks Atlantic City Record in Taking United Nations Handicap, New York Times September 19, 1953

Round Table Picks Up an Easy $65,000, Chicago Daily Tribune, September 20, 1959

Dr. Fager Catches Advocator at Wire and Takes U.N. Handicap by a Neck, New York Times, September 12, 1968

John McEvoy, Round Table: Racing’s Iron Horse (Eclipse Press : Lexington, 2002) — Thoroughbred Legends series published by Eclipse Press.

Quote from Joe Hirsch about Round Table originally published in Daily Racing Form, quoted here from McEvoy’s Round Table

Clip from YouTube showing Round Table in action

Round Table’s biography, pedigree, and racing record at www.thoroughbredchampions.com

List of past winners and brief history of the United Nations Handicap at Wikipedia

Thanks for reading!

In honor of the two “sublime” performances Saturday by Curlin in the Dubai World Cup and Big Brown in the Florida Derby, I have decided to launch my horse racing history blog with Dr. Fager’s world record run in the 1968 Washington Park Handicap. One of the great things about the internet is the amount of history you have at your fingertips. You Tube is a prime source for historic film/video of our most significant races (especially recent history). Of the older historic clips on You Tube, the film of the ‘68 Washington Park Handicap is better then most. Not only does it have the race in its entirety (without commentary) but it captures the immediate post-race reaction by announcer Phil Georgeff. Listen for Georgeff’s “Wow” a few seconds after Dr. Fager crosses the line:

DR. FAGER’S WASHINGTON PARK HANDICAP
AUGUST 24, 1968

Here are some highlights from the 1968 NY Times story published the day after the race:

“Dr. Fager Sets World Record Mark; Colt’s Time 1:32 1/5″
By Steve Cady

“Burdened with 134 pounds in the 112,700 Washington Park Handicap, Dr. Fager established himself as carrier of the year by setting a world record of 1 minute 32 1-5 seconds for the mile. A crowd of 27,861 cut loose with a chorus of ‘yah-hoos’ as the 4-year-old Tartan Stable colt sped under the wire 10 lengths ahead of Racing Room.”

My comment: Dr. Fager broke the mile record set by Buckpasser in 1966. There are a number of interesting similarities between the two runs. Both records were set at Arlington Park (“an oval noted for its bounce” – NYT ). Braulio Baeza was the jockey for both rides. One of the most significant differences is that Buckpasser set the record carrying only 125 pounds as a 3 year old. Dr. Fager carried an astounding 134 (at the time, the highest weight ever by a Washington Handicap entry).

NYT article continues:

“John Nerud, trainer and part owner of Dr. Fager with William L. McKnight called the colt’s efforts ‘another Babe Ruth performance.’ Gaining his 16th victory in 20 starts, Dr. Fager earned $67,700, more than enough to pay the latest installment on his $1 million insurance policy. Commenting on the size of the policy, Nerud said it was ‘not very much.’ Considering Dr. Fager’s potential as a sire Nerud may be right. The colt will begin his breeding career next winter in Florida.”

“Nerud had doubted Dr. Fager would break Buckpasser’s record. Buckpasser came from off a fantastic early pace set by his stablemate, Impressive, who ran the first six furlongs that day in 1:06 4/5. Dr. Fager, Nerud figured, would be setting his own pace by the time the field reached the six-furlong mark. With nothing to challenge him in the stretch, he supposedly would not get the pressure needed to break Buckpasser’s record.”

“But Dr. Fager, a colt with rare desire and dash, roared through the upper stretch after taking the lead after six furlongs with the fractional time of 1:07 3/5. A slight following wind may have helped the contestants in their long run down the backstretch. But worked the other way in the stretch, and that’s where Dr. Fager slammed though to his record.”

“Baeza, who arrived here by plane from New York about noon, said he had ‘tapped’ Dr. Fager once on the shoulder coming around the turn into the stretch. That was all he needed. Comparing Dr. Fager with Buckpasser, he said, ‘They’re different types. Let’s say I like both types.’”

“To get a better idea of what concessions of 16 to 23 pounds mean, think of one-pound boxes of sugar. Then think of running a mile with that kind of penalty piled on top of the regular weight-and running it in a world record time.”

“Despite the fact that Dr. Fager had never finished worse than third except on a disqualification in the 1967 Jersey Derby, the ‘bridge jumpers’ here apparently were worried by his crushing 134 pounds into post. They bet him heavily to win and place, but the show betting, surprisingly, failed to produce a minus pool. Dr. Fager paid $2.20 both to place and to show.”

Read more about Dr. Fager:

Steve Haskin wrote the book on Dr. Fager for the Thoroughbred Legend series published by Eclipse Press. Here it is at Amazon

Online Resources

Dr. Fager wiki page

Article by Steve Ragone at www.thoroughbredchampions.com

“The Doctor is in” by Ron Hale

Purchase images of Dr. Fager: www.championsgallery.com/

Race video at You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wVBNbmcaAE

SPEAKING OF HISTORIC PERFORMANCES…MAYBE?

OK, I was one of the doubters about Big Brown and I am still letting Saturday’s huge win in the Florida Derby sink in. The esteemed Steve Byk (At the Races) thought Smooth Air was sitting on a Sharp Humor type of performance who ran within a nose of Barbaro in the 2006 Florida Derby. Steve was exactly right, unfortunately, Big Brown ran a full second faster then Barbaro when he also won the race from an impossible post position. Those facts alone — a wider post and faster final time then Barbaro — are hard to believe. Let’s hope he stays healthy — he could be a good one.