Dual Grade I-winner Dornoch (Good Magic) has been on downtime at Saratoga in the weeks after finishing fourth in the GI DraftKings Travers Aug. 24. Trained by Danny Gargan, the colt is gearing up for what is expected to be his final career start in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 2 before retiring to stud at Spendthrift Farm.
“He's doing good, and we gave him some time off and are just starting back,” Gargan said. “He'll work three times before the Classic. He's not a horse you have to train a ton and we're just giving him some time to get over it. It's a tough campaign to go through the Derby, Belmont, Haskell, Travers… he'll stay here [at Saratoga] to train.”
The full-brother to GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage began this season with a win in the GII Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March. The 3-year-old captured the GI Belmont Stakes at the Spa in early June and then won the NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes at Monmouth July 20.
Gargan reflected on the campaign that Dornoch has put together by saying it will be bittersweet to prepare him for a final start in what is surely the most significant test of both their careers.
“He's a sweet, beautiful horse, and it's going to be sad because he's retiring, but if everything goes well, he'll be a good sire,” Gargan said. “He's bred to be one.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
