Gargan Derby Duo Record First Churchill Downs Breeze

Danny Gargan is living the dream as he prepares not one, but two horses for the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1): Remsen Stakes (G2) and Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) winner Dornoch  and Wood Memorial (G2) runner-up Society Man .

A Louisville native that grew up just outside the track's stable gate, Gargan is back in the Derby for the first time since saddling Tax  to a 14th-place finish in 2019.

"No matter what anyone says, just running a horse in the Derby when you grow up in Louisville—it's a dream to be here and it's a dream just to accomplish the fact that you have a Derby runner," Gargan said. "We're a smaller barn and just to have some miracle to have two is crazy."

Gargan's pair hit the Churchill Downs dirt April 20 to record their first works over the track at 7:30 a.m. With Society Man on the inside and Dornoch, wearing blinkers, on the outside, the duo breezed a half-mile together in :48 1/5. 

"I'm real pleased with how they're getting over the track," Gargan said. "I thought both of them worked really well. They did it pretty handily, looked good doing it, galloped out great. They look great coming back (to the barn), I am pleased with how they're acting."

Dornoch breezing outside of Society Man, completing an easy half-mile in :48.20. #KyDerby pic.twitter.com/3CtWY3Vkqs

— Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) April 20, 2024

Dornoch was last seen April 6 in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. After taking the Fountain of Youth wire-to-wire, Gargan experimented and asked him to sit behind horses.

"We tried something different, we wanted to educate him," Gargan said. "We put him in behind horses and he learned a lot and he'll mature off that race."

Sitting behind horses on the rail through the early stages, Dornoch swung to the outside for the stretch but was unable to catch the pacesetters or hold off the charge of winner Sierra Leone . He finished fourth, beaten 6 1/2 lengths.

"He got stuck in there, didn't like it too much," Gargan said. "Finally when he got out on the outside, he could have quit running but he dug in and came back on. It'll be fun to watch him run this time. We'll come out of there running and see where he'll land."

Gargan has not lost any faith in Dornoch. A full brother to the 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage  , expectations have been high for the colt before he even ran his first race last summer.

"He's been a highly thought of horse ever since he came into the barn," Gargan said. "If he puts it all together on Derby day and runs his race, it's going to be exciting. He's got a lot of talent. I think we're going to have a big performance this time."

Those who like to make their Derby bets based off good omens or mystical aspects of the Derby's history will likely be placing their money on Dornoch. Not only does he have already have a proven Derby-winning pedigree, but he is residing in the barn that Mage called home prior to the Derby and lives in the stall on the exact opposite side of the wall from Mage's.

While Dornoch was getting his education at Keeneland, Society Man was at Aqueduct Racetrack nearly pulling off an upset in the Wood Memorial at odds of 106-1. His runner-up performance qualified him for the Derby and Gargan has faith that the race was not a fluke.

"I like how he breezes, how he trains," Gargan said. "He's a tryer and he's got a lot of talent."

Like Dornoch, Society Man is a son of Hill 'n' Dale stallion Good Magic  . Gargan is not worried about either of his colts' ability to get the classic 1 1/4-mile distance.

"Both of them can get the distance. They have different running styles. It's going to be fun to watch them get out there and hopefully we get lucky," Gargan said. "Sometimes you get lucky and you get the trip or the right situation. We're just blessed that hopefully we have two of them that can get the right trip."

As the Derby is now just two weeks away, Gargan is doing his best to keep his expectations in check while still enjoying the ride his colts are taking him on.

"You have to pinch yourself every morning and just not overthink it or overanalyze it," Gargan said. "Keep going forward and try to have your best chance."