yup, several months before he won the Derby. I believe for $50,000
Pretty sure he’s not the only G1 winner, or even Derby winner, that ever ran for a tag even if not a particularly cheap one. Not sure that’s much besides a competent trainer and a big dose of good horses with hopeful but realistic expectations and some good luck. Hint of something else going on here between owner and the good/great trainers who’s barns they left.
Lot of trainers across the board in the horse world will tell you the horses are the easy part, the people, not so much.
