BARCLAY TAGG

Tagg, who primarily trains on the Northeast circuit, notched his first win as a trainer with Tudor's Fancy at Liberty Bell Park in January 1972. Other horses trained by Tagg include Crab Grass, a multiple stakes winner who won the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship Series in 1999; Royal Mountain Inn, winner of the 1994 Man o' War Stakes (G1); and five-time graded stakes winner Miss Josh, who captured the 1991 Gamely Handicap (G1) and Matchmaker Stakes (G2). In 2002, Tagg trained 32 winners and the earners of $1,162,212. Big wins in 2002 included the Sleepy Hollow Stakes and Bertram F. Bongard Stakes, both at Belmont Park with the famous gelding, Funny Cide. In 2003, Tagg celebrated Funny Cide's wins at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He also won the 2003 Alabama with the filly Island Fashion.

Tagg applies a seven-days-a-week single-mindedness to his horses. 'That's all I do,' he says. 'I don't play golf. I don't go bowling. I don't go to Disneyland. I just take good care of the horses and wait for something good to happen. It took me 30-some years.' Tagg defies easy explanation. He can be shy, guarded, abrasive and charming, all in the span of a few minutes.

Since he took out his trainer's license, he's always been more comfortable tending to the needs and wants of horses than fussing over owners and cultivating rich clients. 'Barclay is not a schmoozy kind of guy,' says Jack Knowlton, Sackatoga's managing partner. 'He trains horses.'

   ROBIN SMULLEN

In 1996, Robin met Barclay Tagg, and a year later, began working for him.  She has been his assistant trainer since 1998.  "We went to dinner," Tagg says, "and she never left." 

They share a passion for horses.  Robin says that, "horses are a way of life.  They are overpowering no matter who you are or how much you weigh.  It's a matter of trying to compromise and figure out how to get them to do their best.  Figure out what makes that horse the happiest, and do the best you can.  A happy horse is a successful horse."

Phone: 954 798 0802.
E-Mail: rsmull@earthlink.net

   JUAN BARAJAS SALDANA

Barn Foreman: NY and Gulfstream Park

Juan started with us as a groom in 2000, and moved up to foreman in 2002. He has a very quiet demeanor and respect for the horses. He handles everything from building to shipping to racing!

   ZACARIAS QUINTANA

Barn Forman: Palm Meadows and Delaware

Zacarias started working for Barclay as a hot walker in the winter of 2002. He was promoted to groom and was given 1 horse - an "extra" which had just shipped in. The extra horse was a fat chestnut baby and the other grooms teased him calling his charge "The Pony". He did turn out to be "The Pony" when he was done racing. The fat chestnut baby was none other than FUNNY CIDE!

He was Funny Cide's groom throughout his career and when Funny retired Zacarias moved into the foreman's position.