Dornoch

Morning line favorite Dornoch is a full-brother to last year’s Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner Mage, who finished seventh in the Travers in the final start of his career. Dornoch has more than lived up to his familial expectations, beginning in December with a resurgent nose victory over familiar rival Sierra Leone in the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct Racetrack.

He returned three months later to make a triumphant sophomore debut in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park ahead of an even fourth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass when experimenting with stalking tactics after notching three of his first four victories in gate-to-wire fashion. Dornoch secured enough qualifying points for a start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, where he finished a troubled 10th after drawing the rail and checking hard at several points in the 10-furlong test.

The public’s faith in Dornoch had wavered ahead of the 10-furlong Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, where the strapping bay was sent to post at odds of 17-1, a far heftier price than the favored Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone and the lightly-raced second choice Mindframe. Nevertheless, a confident Gargan never lost faith in his prized colt, and felt he did not have a real opportunity to show his true ability in the oft-tricky 20-horse Kentucky Derby.

Guided by regular pilot Luis Saez, Dornoch was well-drawn in the Belmont Stakes, and emerged from post 6-of-10 to press the pace. Rounding the turn, Dornoch overtook command with Mindframe making his move in tandem and Sierra Leone rallying from last. Mindframe stuck his head in front at the stretch call, but a tenacious Dornoch dug in valiantly on the inside and took the lead back in the final furlong, inching clear to win by a half-length in a final time of 2:01.64.

Incredibly, the Grade 1 Haskell six weeks later would produce a near identical result to the Belmont, as Mindframe would once again edge Dornoch in upper stretch before the latter came back and drew off to a 1 1/4-length score.

“If you watch the race, he looks beat because he’s sitting there on the inside and two or three horses passed him,” Gargan said. “Not many horses can get passed like that. It’s kind of crazy to watch. He fools you, and the same thing happened in the Remsen. He got passed in the Belmont. I would like to be on the outside and not be beat up the whole way. He’s tough, and he’s a warrior.”