@winningstride: A Day Like Today in Horse Racing History: Dr. Fager’s Final Masterpiece, 1968 By WinningStride Every Stride Tells a Story November 2, 1968. One of the greatest Thoroughbreds in American racing history made his final appearance, delivering a performance that would remain in the record books for more than three decades. At Aqueduct Racetrack in New York, four-year-old Dr. Fager entered the seven-furlong Vosburgh Handicap carrying an extraordinary 139 pounds, giving away between 12 and 34 pounds to his opponents. Among his rivals was the talented sprinter Kissin’ George, who carried 127 pounds. With Hall of Fame jockey Braulio Baeza aboard, Dr. Fager took command and never looked back. He completed six furlongs in a blistering 1:07 4/5 before crossing the finish line six lengths ahead of Kissin’ George. His final time of 1:20 1/5 established a new Aqueduct track record for seven furlongs, a mark that would stand until 1999. It was the perfect conclusion to an extraordinary season. Earlier that year, Dr. Fager had set a world record for one mile, running 1:32 1/5 in the Washington Park Handicap at Arlington Park while carrying 134 pounds. He had also defeated the great Damascus in the Suburban Handicap and captured the United Nations Handicap in his only career start on turf. Dr. Fager finished his 1968 campaign with seven victories from eight starts. His accomplishments earned him four championships: Horse of the Year Champion Handicap Horse Champion Sprinter Champion Grass Horse Four championships in one season, a remarkable testament to his speed, versatility and ability to carry extraordinary weight. Trained by John Nerud and owned by Tartan Stable, Dr. Fager retired with 18 victories from 22 starts and career earnings of $1,002,642. On November 2, 1968, he completed one of the most remarkable seasons in Thoroughbred racing history. Where would you rank Dr. Fager’s 1968 campaign among the greatest single seasons of all time? #winningstride #onthisday #DrFager #HorseRacing #ThoroughbredRacing

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Monday 02 November 2026 13:00:00 GMT