Dornoch, after Remsen win, possible for Withers Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Dornoch and Sierra Leone, separated by nose in Saturday’s Grade 2 Remsen Stakes, will soon head to South Florida to train for the winter, but at least one could make a return trip to New York to keep traveling down the Triple Crown trail.

Danny Gargan, trainer of Dornoch, said “there’s a big chance he comes back for the Withers,” a race, like the Remsen, run at 1 1/8 miles around two turns. Though there is no official date for the Withers - NYRA has not released its 2024 stakes schedule yet - it is expected the Withers will be run Feb. 3.

Gargan, on his way to Florida on Sunday morning, was still in awe of Dornoch and the way he battled back to win after grazing the rail in upper stretch and then being passed by at least three-quarters of a length by Sierra Leone inside the sixteenth pole. Moreover, jockey Jose Ortiz on Sierra Leone tightened things up on Dornoch nearing the wire.

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“I’ve seen horses get passed by a neck, half a length but they're battling with each other and the horse comes back on,” Gargan said. “I’ve never seen a horse come flying by a horse, get by him like that and the other horse come back and beat him.”

Dornoch, a full brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage, still showed signs of immaturity with his lead changes, but he will enter his 3-year-old season with two wins from four starts and three two-turn races under his belt.

“He’s got to get it together at some point and stop this goofing off,” Gargan said. “He’s going to get better with age. He’s so talented.”

Sierra Leone also has a few things to get figured out, but he also appears to be extremely talented. He ran in the Remsen off one race, a victory going a one-turn mile in November. He rallied from last on a speed-favoring track to get to the lead before lugging in.

Trainer Chad Brown said Sierra Leone also lugged in some during his first start. Sierra Leone will soon ship to Brown’s winter headquarters at Payson Park in Indiantown, Fla., where Brown will contemplate his next move.

Brown said Sierra Leone reminds him some of Early Voting, who won the 2022 Preakness. Both Early Voting and Sierra Leone are by the sire Gun Runner.

“Now that he’s lugged in [twice], I’ll fool around with a little equipment to straighten him out,” Brown said. “He’s got a world of ability so we’ll take him down there, regroup a little bit, and map out a campaign that hopefully gets him to the first Saturday in May.”

Both Dornoch and Sierra Leone earned 91 Beyer Speed Figures.

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