Tax now Pegasus-bound after Harlan's Holiday triumph

Tax stamped his return ticket to the Pegasus World Cup next month with an eye-catching comeback Saturday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Sent straight to the lead by Luis Saez after breaking sharply from post 1 in a field of seven older horses, Tax never gave the opposition a chance when making his first start in more than seven months. He won by 4 1/2 lengths under a hand ride over late-running Eye of a Jedi, returning $6.60 as second choice after completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.15 over a fast main track.

“The horse really came back around in his training the last couple months,” said Danny Gargan, who trains Tax for the partnership of Hugh Lynch, Randy Hill, and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing. “The owners gave me all the time I needed with him to get him back on his game. I couldn’t be happier with the horse and all the support the owners have given me.”

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Gargan confirmed that Tax, a Kentucky-bred gelding by Arch, will make his 5-year-old debut in the $3 million Pegasus on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream. Tax finished ninth in the Pegasus earlier this year.

Eye of a Jedi was along to get second by a half-length over Phat Man, the slight 2-1 favorite under Irad Ortiz Jr. Rounding out the order were Math Wizard, Identifier, Tatweej, and Royal Urn.

Tax was claimed by Gargan for $50,000 from his second career start in October 2018 at Keeneland. He now has won three graded stakes from 13 overall starts, having accounted for the Grade 3 Withers and Grade 2 Jim Dandy last year at 3. This was his first win in five tries since the Jim Dandy and his first start since he finished fifth in the May 2 Oaklawn Handicap.

The $2 exacta (1-4) paid $61.40, the $1 trifecta (1-4-2) returned $81.80, and the 10-cent superfecta (1-4-2-6) was worth $28.81.