start," said jockey John Rotz, substituting for Baeza. "I just couldn't take him back. I just sat there." He was then entered in the Californian Stakes at Hollywood Park on May 18, where Nerud had anticipated receiving a break in the weight the horse would have to carry. After arriving in California however, it was determined that under the allowance conditions of the race, Dr. Fager would once again have to carry 130 pounds. Reunited with Braulio Baeza, he overtook the early leader on the final turn and drew off to win by three lengths over champion filly Gamely. Dr. Fager's next scheduled start was the Metropolitan Handicap, in which he would have been the heavy favorite despite being assigned 134 pounds. On the day before the race though, he suffered a serious attack of colic shortly after his morning workout. "I noticed a violent reaction as soon as he came back," said Nerud, "and I can tell you I was scared to death. That horse had never given me a bit of real trouble, and now I saw that he was really sick." Dr. Fager responded well to treatment and his veterinarian confirmed no permanent damage had been done. After a brief break, he returned in the Suburban Handicap on July 4 where he carried 132 pounds. The race was a highly anticipated face-off with old rival Damascus, assigned 133 pounds. Going off as the 4-5 favorite, Dr. Fager went to the early lead and set sensible fractions, in part because Damascus's "rabbit" Hedevar had been scratched from the race. Baeza carefully nursed Dr. Fager's speed, then allowed him to draw away in the stretch to win by two lengths with Damascus back in third. The time of 1:59 for 10 furlongs was a stakes record and equaled the track record. Nerud next planned to run Dr. Fager in the Haskell Handicap at Monmouth Park on July 13, but withdrew when the horse was assigned 134 pounds. Instead he decided to wait for the Brooklyn Handicap on July 20, only to receive a career-high assignment of 135 pounds. The challenge was compounded by the presence of Damascus, whose assignment was dropped from 133 in the Suburban to 130 pounds. The "rabbit" Hedevar went to the early lead, followed closely by Dr. Fager who was unwilling to rate. The two set blistering early fractions, completing the half mile in :45.