Dr. Fager

Dr. Fager
SireRough'n Tumble
GrandsireFree For All
DamAspidistra
DamsireBetter Self
SexStallion
FoaledApril 6, 1964[1]
Florida
CountryUnited States
ColorBay
BreederTartan Farms
OwnerTartan Stable. Racing silks: Red, tartan sash, red and tartan cap.
TrainerJohn A. Nerud
Record22: 18-2-1
Earnings$1,002,642[2]
Major wins
Cowdin Stakes (1966)
Gotham Stakes (1967)
Withers Stakes (1967)
Arlington Classic (1967)
New Hampshire Sweepstakes Classic (1967)
Hawthorne Gold Cup (1967)
Vosburgh Stakes (1967, 1968)
Roseben Handicap (1968)
Californian Stakes (1968)
Suburban Handicap (1968)
Whitney Handicap (1968)
Washington Park Handicap (1968)
United Nations Handicap (1968)
Awards
American Champion Sprint Horse (1967, 1968)
DRF American Champion Male Turf Horse (1968)
American Champion Older Male Horse (1968)
American Horse of the Year (1968)
Leading sire in North America (1977)
Honors
U.S. Racing Hall of Fame (1971)
#6 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Dr. Fager Stakes at Calder Race Course

Dr. Fager (April 6, 1964 – August 5, 1976) was an American thoroughbred racehorse who had what many consider one of the greatest single racing seasons by any horse in the history of the sport. In 1968 at the age of four, he became the only horse to ever hold four American titles in one year when he was named the Horse of the Year, champion handicap horse, champion sprinter, and co-champion grass horse. In his most famous performance, Dr. Fager set a world record of 1:32+15 for a mile in the Washington Park Handicap while carrying 134 pounds.

Dr. Fager was also a major winner at ages two and three. At two, he won four of five starts including the Cowdin Stakes. Various health issues kept him out of the Triple Crown races at age three but he still won seven stakes races while setting track records in the New Hampshire Sweepstakes and Rockingham Special. He was named the champion sprinter of 1967 after defeating older horses in the Vosburgh Handicap. He also finished third behind Damascus and Buckpasser in the "race of the decade", the Woodward Stakes.

Upon retirement to stud in Florida, he became an important sire and broodmare sire, and led the North American sire list in 1977. He died young due to a colic attack at the age of twelve.

Dr. Fager was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1971. On the Blood-Horse magazine List of the Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century, he was ranked #6.

  1. ^ "Pedigree of Dr. Fager". Equineline. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  2. ^ "Dr. Fager Profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 4 July 2017.