Dornoch’s victory in the GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct has his trainer, Danny Gargan, considering a path to the GI Kentucky Derby, but admits the horse needs to mature and focus more on running, especially after hitting the rail during the race.
‣ Dornoch (Good Magic) won the GII Remsen S. race at Aqueduct, which has led his trainer, Danny Gargan, to consider potential paths to the GI Kentucky Derby next year. However, Gargan acknowledges that Dornoch needs to mature significantly before he is ready for such a challenge.
‣ Despite hitting the rail and being overtaken by Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), Dornoch managed to recover and win the race. Gargan was surprised and impressed by this, as horses typically stop running after such an incident.
‣ Dornoch will spend the winter at Palm Meadows, with potential early 2024 targets including the GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct or the GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park. Gargan hopes to see Dornoch become more focused and less playful during his runs, which he believes will help him mature as a racehorse.
Dornoch’s (Good Magic) recent win at the GII Remsen S. Saturday at Aqueduct has trainer Danny Gargan thinking about the future. He’s considering the paths that could lead to next year’s GI Kentucky Derby. But, Gargan admits, Dornoch has a lot of maturing to do before he’s ready for Churchill Downs next May.
In the nine-furlong race on Saturday, Dornoch set a fast pace. However, he seemed defeated with a furlong left when he bumped the rail. This allowed Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) to pass him. But, Dornoch didn’t give up. He fought back on the inside and managed to regain the lead in the final stride.
Gargan was amazed. “It’s crazy,” he said. “Usually, when a horse hits the rail at the eighth pole like he did, they just stop running.” He couldn’t believe that Dornoch managed to rally after that. The rail collision knocked him off stride, but he recovered after a few jumps. “I think if he doesn’t hit the rail, he stays in front,” Gargan mused. “I’ve never seen a horse get passed a length and then come back and win. It was a really good race.”
Dornoch, who’s a full-brother to this year’s Derby winner Mage, will be heading south for the winter. He’ll be at Palm Meadows, with potential early 2024 targets being the GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct or the GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park, says Gargan.
“He’ll tack walk for two or three weeks and then we’ll figure it out from there,” Gargan said. “We’ll probably see him around the Fountain of Youth. The Withers is always something you could win real easy if you wanted to win a race, it just depends who’s where.”
Gargan has certain expectations for Dornoch over the winter. “We need him to focus running,” he said. Dornoch tends to get distracted, which is why he hit the rail. “He’s got to grow up a lot, and he’s still out there goofing off,” Gargan added. Despite the challenges, Dornoch did show determination in the end. But his early lack of focus put him in a difficult situation. “I think if another horse is around him, he won’t lose focus,” Gargan speculated. For the next race, they plan to bring him off the pace, which he can do. “He’ll finish in the lane so he’ll get a little more out of the race and mature a little bit from it,” Gargan said.
