Dr. Fager was a proper champion if there ever was one. Hell bent on being in front in every race which he felt was his rightful place and exhibiting incredible raw talent and unparalled sustained speed, you knew you were going to always get a stupendous effort from him. His look and high action were unique. Unbeatable at 7 furlongs and a mile, there's nobody I would bet against him in a match race up to 1 1/4 mile either.
Jeff it wouldn't take a match race at ten furlongs for him to be a good bet. This horse ran 4 sub two minute mile and a quarters, one of them in a ,losing effort giving Damascus 5 lbs and carrying 135 himself. And there were rabbits in the race. By point of reference I challange anyone to suggest a Breeder's Cup classic ever run in which Dr Fager would not only have been favored under 126 haha, but that he would have been under even money and that includes Cigar.. does THAT souind like an glorified miler? This has been a view that began with Charlie Hatton in 1968 and stuck to him. Hatton loved the classic Kentucky perfectly bred horse and he never could understand how Dr Fager was so good without that type of bereeding. For some reason this notion of the doctor stuck to him and it did not belong especially as a four year old. " the best miler in history and could win a match race even farther" What baloney.. Can you really name more than one or two horses in history that could have beaten him as a four year old at ten furlongs and level weights even with rabbits?? His last encounter like that, as stated above was the Brooklyn.. and he still ran 159 4/5 in that race under 135... This has been bothering me for 46 years
fagerflies He was without question bothered by the rabbit and rank in the Brooklyn. It's always been debated whether they should've just let him go and put Hedevar away and then he could relax somewhat, instead of fighting the restraint which of course he detested. When allowed to get into his incomparable sustained cadence, he was about as close to being unbeatable as a horse can be.
to BE109 If they ever made a movie about Dr. Fager, I'd go see it a dozen times to make sure I didn't miss anything. I would love to talk to the legendary John Nerud. I've always wondered how much thought he gave to running him in the Met Mile as a 3yo against Buckpasser, the same day as the Jersey Derby. I'll forever believe he would've handled the mighty Buckpasser easily that day which would've gotten him greater fanfare.
Buckpasser was a great racehorse, and it was his world record that Dr Fager broke. I am not sure the Dr would have won that particular Met as a 3 year old and fairly young one at the time. Buckpasser needed speed to run at also.. his entry mate in the Arlington Classic that year, Impressive, ran a first 106 4/5 in front of him. His 15 race streak is really unparallelled at that level and dwarfed the quality of Cigar's. He was a joy to watch, over and over coming from behind..In the Suburban that year, he was beaten by Ring Twice at the sixteenth pole by 3 lengths, famed caller Freddie Capossella, stated "I don't think he can make it" and he did.. I believe that was the 15th race in his streak
fagerflies I thought Buckpasser wasn't quite himself as a 4yo even though he was winning most of them. The way Fager routed Tumiga in the Withers Mile earlier, while running the fastest mile by a 3yo in NYRA history at the time and the way Buckpasser was just getting up and then being soundly beaten by Handsome Boy in the Brooklyn makes me feel something was bothering the great Buckpasser.
jeff sohikian You know Buckpasser was fine early in the year , but by midsummer he was struggling a bit and in fact, in the Woodword he was not himself. i do not claim that anyone would have beaten Damascus that day but Bucky should have been closer.
jeff sohikian Buckpasser suffered a cracked hoof twice in his career. The first one kept him out of the Triple Crown. After the second one (same hoof), he developed arthritis and really wasn't the same.
What a class act. Both Mr. Nerud and his colt. The Doctor is my favorite horse, quite possibly the greatest of all time IMHO. Wish they'd make a movie about his life it would be a thrillride. Peace.
They should make a movie about Fager! Fager's achievements are very well known. The best way to describe him is simple. Any horse who hooked Fager and ran with him eye to eye was cooked,and I mean cooked to a crisp! That includes the great TB Damascus! Trust me Damascus was a great TB as well,but he never could deal with Fager one on one. Thats not a knock,thats the truth! Fager was my favorite of them all!!!!
I loved Dr Fager. I saw him at his only defeat in 1968, the Brooklyn Handicap. I backed him that day knowing the tactics Damascus and Hedevar would employ. I can remember to this day Fred Caposella's call saying Hedevar takes the lead as expected and later the crowd noise as Damascus gradually overtook Fager in the stretch. Finally, Caposella again saying a brilliant race by Damascus. Although upsetting to me at the time, I have come to realize how special the rivalry between 2 of the greatest horses was. Privileged to have seen the last race between them.
At equal weight Dr. Fager might have won the Brooklyn even with Hedevar present. However, carrying 135 pounds vs. 130 for Damascus may have been "the straw that broke the camel's back".
@@matthewstein1611 Yes, but there is no hard evidence that lets us identify the effect that specific weights have on track performances. All we know, per Isaac Newton and common sense, is that weight affects speed. That is why i said the weight differential _may_ have affected the outcome of the race. I suspect the size of a horse may _also_ have an affect on the ability of a horse to go fast while carrying big weight. Forego was a huge horse and he was certainly a great weight carrier.
@@sl-rt5kv Every great horse had one weakness. Secretariat lost 5 times. Man O War started a race facing backwards in the pre starting gate era and lost. In Fager's case it was being sucked in by a rabbit. Surely, the 10 and a half lengths Damascus beat him by in the 1967 Woodward was not due to weight. He was slotted in the number 2 post not only next to Hedevar but also Buckpasser's rabbit Great Power. The 2 of them came flying out of the gate with their jockeys screaming at Fager to get him to burn out early. Buckpasser also passed Fager that day.
@@matthewstein1611 *Surely, the 10 and a half lengths Damascus beat him by in the 1967 Woodward was not due to weight* Horses are flesh and blood. All of them have good days and bad days. I suspect Dr. Fager was simply no good at the Woodward while Damascus was in top form. I don't believe Fager would have won that day even without a rabbit. With Dr. Fager performing at his best, I believe the race would have been closer even if he lost. Think of the Brooklyn Handicap. *Buckpasser also passed Fager that day* Buckpasser was also a great horse. I would never claim that Dr Fager was better than Buckpasser or vice versa. *Every great horse had one weakness* Similarly, some great horse have strengths that other great horses lack. For example, Round Table had an unparalleled ability to win large numbers of races, while competing constantly, and with minimal or no rest. He ended up with 43 wins in 66 races in just four years of racing. He carried between 130-136 pounds to victory in 17 out of 25 races and set 16 track, US, and world records. He had already won 34 races by the end of his 3rd season. At the same point in his career, Dr. Fager had won just 18 races. I doubt that any other great horse had the _ability_ that Round Table had to win so many races, in such a short time frame. I can't even think of any great gelding, even those with much longer careers, who managed to win many races as Round Table did. Of course, unlike those geldings, Round Table also had a highly successful career in the breeding shed. He was the closest thing I can think of to an indestructible racing machine. That said I would never say Round Table was "better" than Dr. Fager or vice versa. I can't think of any objective way define "better".
truth is Boland was in a terrible slump. He lost on a number of top runners that period. I always thought he was not right for that horse. I was there, he should have held place by about a length. In a match race, only a few could take him at a mile and an eight or quarter. Eased at a 100 yards in the mile world record!
“Allowed”? Rabbits were, and are perfectly legal. Nerud used one himself to help Gallant Man beat Bold Ruler in the 1957 Belmont Stakes. The Doc did get beat once (not counting a disqualification) in a race with no rabbit, but it was when he was a very green 2 year old veering all over the track. I got to see him as a 3 year old win the Hawthorne Gold Cup, and he was everything I expected. There’s not a horse that ever lived that I would bet against him at 6 furlongs to a mile.
Thank you John Nerud "Lasting Impressions" of Dr. Fager,
He was an impressive champion RIP...
The greatest race horse ever
KELSO' WAS THE BEST EVER.
amen brother
Dr.Fager is in the very elite of horse racing history. Him, Swaps, and Spectacular Bid are a cut above the rest.
Dr. Fager was a proper champion if there ever was one. Hell bent on being in front in every race which he felt was his rightful place and exhibiting incredible raw talent and unparalled sustained speed, you knew you were going to always get a stupendous effort from him. His look and high action were unique. Unbeatable at 7 furlongs and a mile, there's nobody I would bet against him in a match race up to 1 1/4 mile either.
Jeff it wouldn't take a match race at ten furlongs for him to be a good bet. This horse ran 4 sub two minute mile and a quarters, one of them in a ,losing effort giving Damascus 5 lbs and carrying 135 himself. And there were rabbits in the race. By point of reference I challange anyone to suggest a Breeder's Cup classic ever run in which Dr Fager would not only have been favored under 126 haha, but that he would have been under even money and that includes Cigar.. does THAT souind like an glorified miler? This has been a view that began with Charlie Hatton in 1968 and stuck to him. Hatton loved the classic Kentucky perfectly bred horse and he never could understand how Dr Fager was so good without that type of bereeding. For some reason this notion of the doctor stuck to him and it did not belong especially as a four year old.
" the best miler in history and could win a match race even farther" What baloney.. Can you really name more than one or two horses in history that could have beaten him as a four year old at ten furlongs and level weights even with rabbits?? His last encounter like that, as stated above was the Brooklyn.. and he still ran 159 4/5 in that race under 135... This has been bothering me for 46 years
fagerflies You sound like my man the "Good Doctor." I'm aka Ta Wee.
jeff sohikian Jeff am i so obvious? LOL
fagerflies Yeah, but that's good. You can tell I'm paying attention to all of your excellent posts.
fagerflies He was without question bothered by the rabbit and rank in the Brooklyn. It's always been debated whether they should've just let him go and put Hedevar away and then he could relax somewhat, instead of fighting the restraint which of course he detested. When allowed to get into his incomparable sustained cadence, he was about as close to being unbeatable as a horse can be.
Great Video! As Red Smith said “There’s a lot of good stories from the backside... Dr. Fager and Mr. Nerud remains the Best!!!
to BE109
If they ever made a movie about Dr. Fager, I'd go see it a dozen times to make sure I didn't miss anything. I would love to talk to the legendary John Nerud. I've always wondered how much thought he gave to running him in the Met Mile as a 3yo against Buckpasser, the same day as the Jersey Derby. I'll forever believe he would've handled the mighty Buckpasser easily that day which would've gotten him greater fanfare.
Buckpasser was a great racehorse, and it was his world record that Dr Fager broke. I am not sure the Dr would have won that particular Met as a 3 year old and fairly young one at the time. Buckpasser needed speed to run at also.. his entry mate in the Arlington Classic that year, Impressive, ran a first 106 4/5 in front of him. His 15 race streak is really unparallelled at that level and dwarfed the quality of Cigar's. He was a joy to watch, over and over coming from behind..In the Suburban that year, he was beaten by Ring Twice at the sixteenth pole by 3 lengths, famed caller Freddie Capossella, stated "I don't think he can make it" and he did.. I believe that was the 15th race in his streak
fagerflies I thought Buckpasser wasn't quite himself as a 4yo even though he was winning most of them. The way Fager routed Tumiga in the Withers Mile earlier, while running the fastest mile by a 3yo in NYRA history at the time and the way Buckpasser was just getting up and then being soundly beaten by Handsome Boy in the Brooklyn makes me feel something was bothering the great Buckpasser.
jeff sohikian
You know Buckpasser was fine early in the year , but by midsummer he was struggling a bit and in fact, in the Woodword he was not himself. i do not claim that anyone would have beaten Damascus that day but Bucky should have been closer.
jeff sohikian Buckpasser suffered a cracked hoof twice in his career. The first one kept him out of the Triple Crown. After the second one (same hoof), he developed arthritis and really wasn't the same.
What a beautiful man!
you have a good heart,Linda...thanks
What a class act. Both Mr. Nerud and his colt. The Doctor is my favorite horse, quite possibly the greatest of all time IMHO. Wish they'd make a movie about his life it would be a thrillride. Peace.
One of the greats. Not the greatest . No Classics at 3YO, some struggles at 3YO. A monster at 4YO, bit not long.
So happy NYRA honored this man by naming a graded stakes for him.
On Saturday February 9th, 2013 Mr. John Nerud turned 100; congratulation.
I've loved a lot of horses, but I mourned the Doctor for a year after he died. He's the avatar of "unique."
They should make a movie about Fager! Fager's achievements are very well known. The best way to describe him is simple. Any horse who hooked Fager and ran with him eye to eye was cooked,and I mean cooked to a crisp! That includes the great TB Damascus! Trust me Damascus was a great TB as well,but he never could deal with Fager one on one. Thats not a knock,thats the truth! Fager was my favorite of them all!!!!
Mr. Neyrud is a very charming & gracious gentleman, and his horse Dr. Fager is amazing! Indeed, both are 'class acts'.
139 lbs !!!!!
I loved Dr Fager. I saw him at his only defeat in 1968, the Brooklyn Handicap. I backed him that day knowing the tactics Damascus and Hedevar
would employ. I can remember to this day Fred Caposella's call saying Hedevar takes the lead as expected and later the crowd noise as Damascus gradually overtook Fager in the stretch. Finally, Caposella again saying a brilliant race by Damascus. Although upsetting to me at the time, I have come to realize how special the rivalry between 2 of the greatest horses was. Privileged to have seen the last race between them.
At equal weight Dr. Fager might have won the Brooklyn even with Hedevar present. However, carrying 135 pounds vs. 130 for Damascus may have been "the straw that broke the camel's back".
@@sl-rt5kv the old formula I remember is 5 lbs equals one length. It might not have been enough.
@@matthewstein1611 Yes, but there is no hard evidence that lets us identify the effect that specific weights have on track performances. All we know, per Isaac Newton and common sense, is that weight affects speed. That is why i said the weight differential _may_ have affected the outcome of the race. I suspect the size of a horse may _also_ have an affect on the ability of a horse to go fast while carrying big weight. Forego was a huge horse and he was certainly a great weight carrier.
@@sl-rt5kv Every great horse had one weakness. Secretariat lost 5 times. Man O War started a race facing backwards in the pre starting gate era and lost. In Fager's case it was being sucked in by a rabbit. Surely, the 10 and a half lengths Damascus beat him by in the 1967 Woodward was not due to weight. He was slotted in the number 2 post not only next to Hedevar but also
Buckpasser's rabbit Great Power. The 2 of them came flying out of the gate with their jockeys screaming at Fager to get him
to burn out early. Buckpasser also passed Fager that day.
@@matthewstein1611 *Surely, the 10 and a half lengths Damascus beat him by in the 1967 Woodward was not due to weight* Horses are flesh and blood. All of them have good days and bad days. I suspect Dr. Fager was simply no good at the Woodward while Damascus was in top form. I don't believe Fager would have won that day even without a rabbit. With Dr. Fager performing at his best, I believe the race would have been closer even if he lost. Think of the Brooklyn Handicap. *Buckpasser also passed Fager that day* Buckpasser was also a great horse. I would never claim that Dr Fager was better than Buckpasser or vice versa. *Every great horse had one weakness* Similarly, some great horse have strengths that other great horses lack. For example, Round Table had an unparalleled ability to win large numbers of races, while competing constantly, and with minimal or no rest. He ended up with 43 wins in 66 races in just four years of racing. He carried between 130-136 pounds to victory in 17 out of 25 races and set 16 track, US, and world records. He had already won 34 races by the end of his 3rd season. At the same point in his career, Dr. Fager had won just 18 races. I doubt that any other great horse had the _ability_ that Round Table had to win so many races, in such a short time frame. I can't even think of any great gelding, even those with much longer careers, who managed to win many races as Round Table did. Of course, unlike those geldings, Round Table also had a highly successful career in the breeding shed. He was the closest thing I can think of to an indestructible racing machine. That said I would never say Round Table was "better" than Dr. Fager or vice versa. I can't think of any objective way define "better".
Love me some Dr. Fager!!! He was amazing as his was his trainer John Nerud...Read the TB Legends book published by Bloodhorse..It's awesome!
Dr. Fager is an amazing horse! I have a great granddaughter of Dr. Fager! She loves to run and she is fast! I barrel race and rope on her.
Very nice
truth is Boland was in a terrible slump. He lost on a number of top runners that period. I always thought he was not right for that horse. I was there, he should have held place by about a length. In a match race, only a few could take him at a mile and an eight or quarter. Eased at a 100 yards in the mile world record!
unfortunately Nerud allowed a rabbit to be used by Damascus' trainer otherwise The Dr would have never lost ....dumb move
“Allowed”? Rabbits were, and are perfectly legal. Nerud used one himself to help Gallant Man beat Bold Ruler in the 1957 Belmont Stakes.
The Doc did get beat once (not counting a disqualification) in a race with no rabbit, but it was when he was a very green 2 year old veering all over the track.
I got to see him as a 3 year old win the Hawthorne Gold Cup, and he was everything I expected. There’s not a horse that ever lived that I would bet against him at 6 furlongs to a mile.
KELSO WAS THE GREATEST!
39 wins in 63 races ?
Wish