Dornoch Targeting Fountain of Youth, Blue Grass/Wood

A few days after the third-place finisher in the Remsen Stakes (G2) posted an initial stakes victory, the highly regarded winner of the mile-and-an-eighth stakes is taking his first steps toward matching his full brother's magical accomplishment.

Trainer Danny Gargan said Jan. 9 that Remsen winner Dornoch  has been galloping for two days at Palm Meadows in Florida and is likely to have his first work since the Dec. 2 Remsen in about 10 days.

Gargan said the plan is to run the full brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage   in the March 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park and then either the April 6 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland or the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack in his final prep before attempting to make the opening leg of the Triple Crown a family affair.

"He'll work somewhere around Jan. 20-22 and that should give him five workouts before the Fountain of Youth," Gargan said. "Then it's the Blue Grass or Wood. If Tex Sutton (the defunct equine air transportation company) was around I'd lean toward the Wood. But we would only have to ship once If he goes to Kentucky. We'll look at how both fields shape up and make a decision. He's won at both Keeneland and Aqueduct."

Aside from winning the Remsen at the Big A—at the same 1 1/8-mile distance as the Wood—the son of Good Magic   broke his maiden Oct. 14 at Keeneland.

Dornoch, owned by West Paces Racing, Randy Hill, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing, and Pine Racing Stables, was given some rest after the Remsen and Gargan said he was impressed with the way he developed in the short period of time between then and turning 3 in January.

"If you want to have a good 3-year-old season, you have to give them a break. He looks phenomenal. He's gained weight and filled out. I couldn't be happier with the way he looks," Gargan said.

While Dornoch has a classic pedigree going for him. Gargan says what he sees in the grade 2 winner is a rare level of quality.

"He's the best horse I've been around," said Gargan who was an assistant trainer for Nick Zito in the early 1990s and had his lone Kentucky Derby starter in 2019 when Tax  finished 14th.  "He's by far the best horse I've ever trained. It's not even close. He has superior talent. I've worked with good horses and he reminds me of Louis Quatorze (Zito's 1996 Preakness Stakes, G1, winner) but with a little more desire."

Bred by Grandview Equine in Kentucky, Dornoch is a winner of two of four starts with earnings of $257,400. Out of the Big Brown   mare Puca, he was purchased prior to Mage's racetrack debut, selling for $325,000 out of the Runnymede Farm consignment at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

He finished second in his first two starts, including a runner-up placing in the Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park, before his maiden and Remsen wins.

He battled back in the stretch to win the Remsen by a nose over Sierra Leone . Drum Roll Please , who won the Jan. 6 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct, was 4 3/4 lengths back in third.