Dornoch needs to pull it together in Remsen

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – With his Kentucky Derby-winning brother Mage now retired, Dornoch looks to begin his own path to next year’s Run for the Roses when he runs as the potential favorite in a highly competitive renewal of the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct.

Like Mage, Dornoch is by Good Magic out of the Big Brown mare Puca. While Mage didn’t win his first race until January of his 3-year-old season, Dornoch comes in off a 6 1/2-length victory in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Keeneland, his third career start. Prior to that, Dornoch finished second in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race at Saratoga before finishing second in the Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park where he was pushed out wide entering the first turn when ridden by Kendrick Carmouche.

“Kendrick swears if he had seen the other horse he would have come back and beat him, he was just playing around,” said Danny Gargan, the trainer of Dornoch. “He can get in front and play around. He did that at Keeneland.”

Dornoch hung on his left lead all through the stretch in his maiden win at Keeneland.

“He’s still maturing, he’s a really talented horse,” Gargan said. “He’s training really well. If he breaks and gets a good, clean trip he’ll be super tough.”

Luis Saez, aboard for the maiden win at Keeneland, rides Dornoch from post 3.

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

Trainer Chad Brown sends out the uncoupled pair of Domestic Product and Sierra Leone. Domestic Product, a son of Practical Joke, finished fifth in his debut sprinting at Saratoga. He came back at Aqueduct, with blinkers on, to win a 1 1/8-mile race by 4 1/2 lengths.

“He needed to stretch out and he was a little bit [green] in his debut, shying from some dirt, ducking and diving a little bit,” Brown said. “We put a little blinker on him, it focused him up.”

Sierra Leone, a son of Gun Runner, overcame having to steady entering the far turn to win a one-mile maiden race by 1 1/4 lengths on Nov. 4.

“To win first time out going a mile, take dirt, settle, and run, he did everything right,” Brown said. “I’m confident he’ll handle the mile and an eighth. He trains like a horse that will run all day.”

Manny Franco rode both horses to their maiden wins. Brown explained that Franco committed to ride Domestic Product in the Remsen before Sierra Leone even ran his maiden race. Sierra Leone will be ridden by Jose Ortiz in the Remsen.

Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out the uncoupled duo of Moonlight and Private Desire. Moonlight, a son of Audible, won an off-the-turf maiden race by eight lengths at Aqueduct before finishing second to Liberal Arts in the Grade 3 Street Sense at Churchill Downs.

Private Desire finished fourth behind Where’s Chris in the Nashua Stakes on Nov. 5.

“He hopped at the start and was left behind and didn’t know what he was doing,” said Byron Hughes, who on Thursday marked his final day as an 11-year assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. “With more experience, he’ll continue to improve.”

Where’s Chris, trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., was a 19-1 winner of the Nashua after finishing third in the off-the-turf Futurity at six furlongs.

Copper Tax has won five consecutive races, including listed stakes at Delaware Park and Laurel Park, for trainer Gary Capuano.

Drum Roll Please, a maiden winner going a mile here Oct. 6; Billal, third in the Nashua; and Le Dom Bro complete the field.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.