Tax Returns in Top Form in Harlan's Holiday Stakes

More than accountants and government officials can celebrate the return of Tax.

A former claimer turned graded stakes winner, Tax is back, winning the $100,000 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3) in near track-record time Dec. 12 at Gulfstream Park. The 4-year-old Arch gelding won by 4 1/2 lengths over longshot Eye of a Jedi, covering 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:41.15 under limited urging from Luis Saez. He missed Social Inclusion's 2014 track record of 1:40.97 by less than a fifth of a second.

Freshened after disappointing efforts when ninth in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) and fifth in the May 2 Oaklawn Handicap (G2), Tax broke quickly, and Saez utilized his inside post position to place him on the lead.

Once in front, Tax established fractions of :23.87, :46.96, and 1:10.22 while maintaining a half-length advantage over longshot Royal Urn, as Tatweej chased three wide, just a short distance behind.

On the second turn, Tax lengthened his lead to 1 1/2 lengths before further extending his advantage down the stretch without much urging from Saez. He paid $6.60 to win.

"We were just saving him for the next time," Saez said. "I could feel that we were going fast, but he was so comfortable."

The winner, owned by R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, and Hugh Lynch, made $60,760 to improve his earnings to $957,060. He has a 4-3-1 record from 13 starts.

Eye of a Jedi, a 10-1 outsider, rallied to finish a half-length in front of show finisher Phat Man. A slight favorite over Tax, Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) winner Phat Man loomed in early stretch but flattened out late under pressure, though he outlasted 2019 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner Math Wizard, who settled for fourth.

The victory leaves Tax positioned for a possible return in the Pegasus World Cup, which will be run Jan. 23 at Gulfstream. 

"I think this will be his best year," winning trainer Danny Gargan said. "He's grown, developed. He's sound. He's bigger, stronger than he's ever been."

The Harlan's Holiday was the third graded stakes victory for Tax, who won the Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack and the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course at 3.

Also last year, he was fourth in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), seventh in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, and 14th on a sloppy track in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs. 

Bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider out of the Giant's Causeway mare Toll, Tax is the only stakes winner for his dam, a producer of four winners from five to race. A daughter of the graded stakes-winning A.P. Indy daughter Yell, Toll is a half sister to stakes winner Cheery, who produced multiple grade 1 winner Elate. Toll also has a yearling filly by Blame .

Tax was claimed by Gargan for $50,000 out of a maiden claiming race he won in October 2018 at Keeneland.