Tax forgos Kentucky trip for Discovery Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After flirting with the idea of sending Tax to Churchill Downs for Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Commonwealth Turf for 3-year-olds, trainer Danny Gargan said the goal for the Jim Dandy winner will be the Grade 3, $250,000 Discovery on dirt on Nov. 30 at Aqueduct.

Gargan has repeatedly said that when he claimed Tax for $50,000 In October 2018 he thought he was going to have a horse that wanted to run long on turf. But the gelding’s success on dirt has prevented Gargan from trying him on turf. After winning the Jim Dandy, Tax finished seventh to Code of Honor in the Travers.

Tax was entered in the Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 29 at Remington Park but was scratched after he got sick shortly after shipping in.

Gargan said the likelihood of rain late in the week at Churchill Downs was one reason why he didn’t point Tax to the Commonwealth.

“I don’t want to run his first time on turf on a bad turf course,” Gargan said.

Tax has worked three times since he shipped back from Remington Park.

“He’s training better than he’s ever trained and he looks better than he’s ever looked,” Gargan said.

Meanwhile, Gargan is hoping he’s found another stakes winner at Keeneland’s claim box. On Oct. 23, he claimed the 2-year-old filly Glass Ceiling out of a win for maiden $40,000 claiming. Gargan plans to stretch out the daughter of Constitution from six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle on Dec. 7 at Aqueduct.

Gargan credited his assistant Rachel Keithan with bringing Glass Ceiling to his attention after she encountered trouble early and wasn’t persevered with late when finishing seventh in a maiden $150,000 claimer on Oct. 11.

“She said you need to watch a replay of that filly’s race,” Gargan said.

Glass Ceiling got off a little slow in her second start, took up a stalking position, then rallied along the rail to win going away.