Training double for Tagg as Dr. Edgar takes Appleton

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Dr. Edgar, who continues to improve with every start, made his graded stakes debut a winning one after leading throughout under jockey Julien Leparoux to register a half-length decision over Hawkish in Friday’s $100,000 Appleton Stakes.

The Grade 3 Appleton was the second win on the day for both Leparoux and Dr. Edgar’s trainer Barclay Tagg.

Dr. Edgar, who teamed with Leparoux for the first time to win an upper-level allowance and optional claiming race here on Feb. 22, was cleverly rated on the front end setting early splits of 24.29 and 47.87 seconds over a turf course officially rated as good. Dr. Edgar opened a long lead down the backstretch and shook off a determined try by Holiday Stone into and through early stretch before holding safe a late surge from Hawkish.

Hawkish, idle since finishing far back in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby nearly nine months ago, raced well placed while saving ground, eased out for the stretch run but could not quite get to the winner with his belated rally. Doctor Mounty finished another two lengths farther back in third. Dr. Edgar, a 6-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky, was transferred to Barclay Tagg’s barn after his former trainer, Carl Domino, retired at the end of the 2017 season. He has crossed the finish line first in four of his six starts for Tagg, losing one apparent victory as a result of a controversial stewards disqualification last summer at Saratoga.

Owned by Eloise and Peter Canzone Sr., Dr. Edgar completed a mile in 1:34.65 and paid $8 as the tepid favorite in a field of nine older turf specialists.

“I thought he’d be laying second all the way around,” said Tagg. “When he opened a little bit down the backside, I got worried about it. But [Leparoux] knows the horse, gave him a little bit of a breather, and it worked out well. It was a big effort. He’s a nice horse. I got him when Carl retired and just got lucky for a change.”

Tagg said he has no plans at the moment for Dr. Edgar’s next start.

“He just won the Appleton, it’s a step up, and if he keeps stepping up we’ll keep stepping up with him,” said Tagg.