Round 2 for Dornoch, Sierra Leone in Blue Grass

Five months after finishing noses apart in the $250,000 Remsen Stakes (G2) Dec. 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack, Dornoch  and Sierra Leone  are rematched April 6 in the $1 million Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.

At stake Saturday is stallion-making prestige from a grade 1 win and momentum leading toward the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, located just 70 miles to the west of Keeneland. Both 3-year-olds are considered leading contenders for the first leg of the Triple Crown and already appear to have sufficient qualifying points to gain a berth in the 20-horse starting gate. Dornoch has 60 points leading into Saturday's race, Sierra Leone 55.

They and other Blue Grass participants can pick up more qualifying points in the Blue Grass, distributed on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to its top five finishers. 

Other notable entries in the 11-horse Derby prep include Be You , Just a Touch , Encino , Good Money , and Top Conor .

Though Dornoch came out on the winning end of their prior meeting in the Remsen, he is the 3-1 anticipated second betting choice in the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass, behind Sierra Leone at 2-1.

Contributing to the odds difference is what they have done since in one start apiece at age 3. Sierra Leone, racing with blinkers for the first time, rallied at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots to defeat a high-quality cast in the Feb. 17 Risen Star Stakes (G2). Risen Star show finisher Catching Freedom  would win the March 23 Louisiana Derby (G2).

Front-running Dornoch, while also successful in his sophomore debut, handled a weaker field by 1 3/4 lengths in the March 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park after scratches deprived the race of some of its quality. 

A start earlier, both he and Sierra Leone appeared to lose focus at different stages of the Remsen stretch run.

Dornoch has Keeneland experience. The son of Good Magic  , a full brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage  , broke his maiden by 6 1/2 lengths on the Keeneland main track in October in his third career start for owners West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing, and Pine Racing Stables.

As for his second matchup with Sierra Leone, Dornoch's trainer Danny Gargan called Sierra Leone a "super talented horse," noting that rival's contrasting late-running style compared to his horse.

"We're probably going to sit second or third and stalk, and hopefully we outkick him down the lane," he told publicist Jennie Reese of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association

He breaks from post 4 under Luis Saez.

Peter Brant, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brook Smith's Sierra Leone starts toward the outside in post 10 under Tyler Gaffalione.

Chad Brown trains the son of Gun Runner  , a $2.3 million auction purchase in 2022 at Fasig-Tipton at The Saratoga Sale, who broke his maiden on debut at Aqueduct before racing in the Remsen and Risen Star.

Brown, a two-time Blue Grass Stakes winner, also entered up-and-comers Good Money for Calumet Farm and Top Conor for Flanagan Racing.

Brad Cox also runs multiple horses in the Blue Grass: Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing, and Marc Detampel's Gotham Stakes (G3) runner-up Just a Touch and Godolphin's Encino, a stakes winner on Tapeta, a synthetic surface, at Turfway Park.

Cox said Encino has improved with racing and training and is "bred to get the distance and handle the dirt."

As for Just a Touch, Cox said, "We've kind of targeted the Blue Grass for a while," feeling the one-mile Gotham would be a good steppingstone toward it.

Repole Stable's quick maiden winner Be You will attempt to give trainer Todd Pletcher a fifth Blue Grass Stakes.

The Blue Grass is the 10th race on Saturday's 11-race program with a 5:52 p.m. ET post time.