Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Dr. Edgar puts good form on display
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Dr. Edgar, the focal point in one of the more controversial races of the 2018 Saratoga season, will bring his good form to Gulfstream Park for the first time when he takes on 11 rivals under high-level optional-claiming conditions in Sunday’s $48,000 main event at a mile on turf.
Dr. Edgar was disqualified from first and placed second for allegedly interfering with Holiday Bonus during the stretch run of an entry-level allowance race on Aug. 26 at the Spa. The chart footnote said in part that the top two finishers had brushed and “traded leans” in late stretch. The decision came less than 24 hours after the stewards opted not to disqualify Abel Tasman following her narrow victory over Elate following a similar incident in the closing yards of the Grade 1 Personal Ensign.
“It was obviously a controversial decision and very frustrating for us because it was a complete waste of a race and you can’t waste races, especially a winning effort like that, with any horse,” said Barclay Tagg, who trains Dr. Edgar for Eloise and Peter Canzone Sr.
To his credit, Dr. Edgar came right back three weeks later and left little doubt when winning at the same condition by five lengths over a yielding course at Belmont Park with a careerhigh 95 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He’d have run in a ‘two other than’ had he not been disqualified at Saratoga, and you’d have to think he might have won that condition considering that last performance,” Tagg said.
“The bottom line is this horse just keeps getting better with age and maturity. I was hoping to run him back once more in New York, but that meant sticking around another couple of weeks and the weather just got too bad up there. For both me and the horses.”
Dr. Edgar will break from post 1 with Jose Ortiz aboard for the first time Sunday.
“I’d prefer not to be on the rail,” Tagg said. “That means having to hustle him a bit, and hopefully we won’t wind up head and head on the lead.”
Although Dr. Edgar owns the highest last-race Beyer Speed Figure in the field, he’ll face some serious competition. The opposition includes stakes winners Mo Maverick, Souper Tapit, and Swagger Jagger, along with the graded stakesplaced Night Prowler and Local Hero.
Mo Maverick is perfect in two starts over the local turf course, having won an optional-claiming race here each of the last two years. The 4-year-old New York-bred son of Uncle Mo won the Lamplighter at Monmouth Park as a 3-year-old but has finished off the board in his last four starts.
Mo Maverick will take advantage of the optional-claiming clause in the conditions, competing under a $62,500 price tag, as will Night Prowler, who finished third in the Grade 3 Poker during the spring of 2017 but has gone winless in his last 11 starts, dating to October 2016.
Verve’s Tale retired
Trainer Barclay Tagg, who has 20 horses bedded down at the Palm Meadows training center with several more still to come, reported that Verve’s Tale has been retired to the breeding shed by owner-breeder Charles Fipke. Verve’s Tale made her final start in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, finishing sixth, just five lengths behind winner Monomoy Girl. She became Grade 1-placed in her previous start when rallying to finish third in the Beldame.
Tagg also said that Cassie’s Dreamer, fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, is jogging at Palm Meadows with nothing picked out yet for her 3-yearold debut. Cassie’s Dreamer finished third in both the Grade 1 Spinaway and Grade 1 Frizette earlier this season.
“I had to freshen her up a little after having four races in a relatively short period of time ending with the Breeders’ Cup,” Tagg said. “I’d love to try to win an Oaks with her some time next season. We’ll just have to wait and see if she’s good enough.”
◗ Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. held the hot hand Thursday, posting a hat trick that began in the opener with Star Player ($10.80) and continued with Over Sensual ($4.60) in the third and Speed Star ($21.60) in the ninth. Tyler Gaffalione was aboard both Star Player and Over Sensual, giving him 993 career victories.
◗ Tony Martinez has been named track superintendent at Gulfstream Park. Martinez is a third generation track super. He grew up at Del Mar, where his grandfather Manuel Martinez was the track superintendent in the 1970s and 1980s. Tony Martinez has worked at tracks in the Southwest as well as at Bay Meadows in California. Martinez and his family have also served as consultants and built tracks in Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Canada.