Tax denies brave Tacitus in Jim Dandy

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – For many reasons, trainer Danny Gargan thought Tax would improve four lengths from his fourth-place performance in last month’s Belmont Stakes.

He was almost spot on.

Tax, beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Sir Winston in the Belmont, received a sensational stalking trip from Irad Ortiz Jr. and won Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes by three-quarters of a length over a hard-luck Tacitus, who went to his nose two strides out of the starting gate but fought valiantly to finish second. It was 3 3/4 lengths back to Global Campaign in third.

Laughing Fox finished fourth by a nose over Preakness winner War of Will. Mihos finished last.

The victory was the third from eight starts for Tax, a gelding by Arch claimed for $50,000 by Gargan last October. Earlier this year, Tax won the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct. He finished second to Tacitus in the Wood Memorial to earn his way into the Kentucky Derby. He finished 15th in the Derby – elevated to 14th with the disqualification of Maximum Security from first to 17th – before his fourth in the Belmont.

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Tax had been plagued by some foot issues in between the Derby and Belmont and the week prior to that race he was equipped with glue-on shoes on his front feet. Gargan felt they made a difference in the Belmont, though he perhaps felt Tax wasn’t fit enough to get the 1 1/2 miles.

The way Tax had trained from the Belmont to the Jim Dandy had Gargan feeling confident entering the race.

“We glued [on] his shoes and changed a few things we were doing with him,” Gargan said. “He just looks bigger and he’s stronger, he’s just training more aggressive. He’s four or five lengths better than he was going into any of his races and it worked out today.”

Gargan and Ortiz felt Tax would be following Global Campaign in the Jim Dandy. But when that horse didn’t go for the lead under Luis Saez, Ortiz put Tax in front entering and around the first turn.

A keyed-up War of Will dragged Tyler Gaffalione to the lead and he was officially a head in front of Tax after an opening quarter run in 24.89 seconds.

Tax sat second through a half-mile in 48.80 and was joined by Global Campaign to his outside and Tacitus to his inside with a half-mile left to run.

Ortiz let Tax go after War of Will and collared him at the five-sixteenths pole. He put that one away in upper stretch and then had to repel a resurgent Tacitus to get the win.

Tax, owned by Randy Hill, Dean Reeves, Hugh Lynch and Lucas Stritsman’s Corms Racing, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.28 and returned $11 as the fourth choice.

“Our game plan was to sit second the whole way,” Gargan said. “We thought Global [Campaign] would be in front and he didn’t go. Obviously, when War of Will went flying like that, Irad did the right thing – he just sat and waited. He rode the perfect race today.”

Ortiz said Gargan told him Tax would run an improved race from the Belmont and he said he felt a difference in the gelding during the running of the Jim Dandy.

“Today he felt much better than last time,” Ortiz said. “Today, when I let him run he picked it up as soon as I let him go. When I asked him at the three-eighths pole he made the lead, I said ‘Let’s go,’ he was feeling great.”

While Tax won, Tacitus ran an amazing race to be second. After stumbling after his second step out of the gate, Tacitus was last, about five lengths back after the opening half-mile.

He made an inside move to gain contention by the half-mile pole, and though Jose Ortiz said he had an opening to go through the inside leaving the three-eighths pole, he said he wanted to conserve horse for the stretch. In the lane, Tacitus made a run at Tax, but the latter had something left.

“The rail opened up for me, enough to go through it, I felt like it was too early to take that chance,” Jose Ortiz said. “Tax was moving really well, I decided to follow him. I think [Tax] ran a good race, he’s a nice horse – I beat him in the Wood Memorial – but I think the stumble cost me a lot for sure.”

While Tacitus had an excuse, War of Will, the Preakness winner, did not. He may have been a little keen early, but he seemed to settle down the backside but couldn’t sustain his run.

“I don’t really have any excuses, he had a great trip,” trainer Mark Casse said. “I don’t think you could ask for any better, he just got outrun today.”

Tax and Tacitus are likely headed for another meeting in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers Stakes here on Aug. 24.