Tax

After finishing second in a maiden-claiming race in September 2018 in his career debut, Tax won his second start at Keeneland in October by two lengths. In that race, he was claimed for $50,000 by trainer Danny Gargan on behalf on new owners Hugh Lynch and Corms Racing Stable. In his debut for Gargan, Tax finished third by 2 ½ lengths in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes in December at Aqueduct.

Several additional owners purchased an interest in Tax before his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct and he delivered a top-notch performance. Tax rallied through an opening on the inside in the stretch and edged Not That Brady by a head with Our Braintrust a close third.

The Withers victory earned Tax 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in addition to the two he earned in the Remsen.

Tax made his final bid for Derby points in the April 6 Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets at Aqueduct, and gamely battled Tampa Bay Derby winner Tacitus through deep stretch before setting for second, which gave him 40 more qualifying points for the May 4 Derby.

Tax finished 14th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve. Five weeks later, he returned for the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets, preesed the early pace, and then faded to finish fourth.

Tax returned from a short respite on July 27 in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets. He swept past Preakness winner War of Will on the turn and then held off Belmont Stakes runner-up Tacitus to prevail.

Tax subsequently ran seventh in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers Stakes before closing out his 3-year-old season with a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Discovery Stakes Nov. 30 at Aqueduct.

Making his 4-year-old debut in the 2020 Pegasus World Cup, Tax stumbled at the start and never was a factor when running ninth of 10. He next ran fifth in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in May. Tax halted a four-race winless stretch with a front-running victory Dec. 12 at Gulfstream Park in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes, pulling well clear in deep stretch on his way to a dominant victory.

Out of the winning Giant’s Causeway mare Toll, Tax’s grandam (maternal grandmother) is Grade 2 winner Yell. This is the family of 1993 Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero; European champion Mozart; multiple Grade 1 winners Elate and Hero’s Honor; Grade 1 winner Eastern Echo; multiple graded stakes winners and sires Congrats and Roar; and several other notable graded stakes winners.