The fields for the 14 races that comprise the Breeders’ Cup World Championships actually start to return into focus in summer time and fall. This common function will provide a snapshot profile of one of many earlier weekend’s standout stars, often a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Problem Sequence winner, and whether or not I’m shopping for or promoting their possibilities to win Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar.
This week, $1,005,000 NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes winner Dornoch confirmed the dedication he’s recognized for in turning again Mindframe to attain his second straight Grade 1 win and earn an expenses-paid berth within the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Basic.
Accomplishments: Dornoch confirmed vital potential as a 2-year-old with two wins and two seconds in 4 begins, together with an eye-opening win over Sierra Leone within the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes in his remaining begin of the 12 months. He set the tempo within the Remsen then was handed within the stretch by Sierra Leone – the second betting selection and runner-up within the 2024 Kentucky Derby Introduced by Woodford Reserve – however Dornoch battled again gamely to win by a nostril instantly basic.
To kick off his 3-year-old season, Dornoch received the Grade 2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes when going through solely 4 badly outclassed opponents however then went off type a bit when unplaced within the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.
Dornoch completed 10th when breaking from the dreaded rail within the Kentucky Derby, working 18 lengths behind winner Mystik Dan within the first jewel of the Triple Crown, and lots of thought Dornoch’s standing as a prime 3-year-old had come and gone. However he bounced again authoritatively within the remaining leg of the 2024 Triple Crown when outdueling Mindframe late to win the $2 million Belmont Stakes at Saratoga by a half-length below common rider Luis Saez.
Dornoch subsequent erased any doubts about his place among the many leaders of the 3-year-old division with one other resolute win within the $1 million Haskell at Monmouth Park, during which he repelled Mindframe once more and put him away convincingly for a 1 ¼-length win.
Coach Danny Gargan didn’t shy from the Eclipse Award debate after the Haskell as he targets the DraftKings Travers Stakes Aug. 24 at Saratoga for Dornoch with an eye fixed on a championship.
“If he can win the Travers, he might be the 3-year-old champion. That may imply the world to me,” Gargan stated a day after the Haskell. “It will imply the world for the horse, as a result of I imagine in him that a lot. Luis [Saez] believes in him that a lot. This has been Luis’ favourite horse because the first time he rode him as a 2-year-old.”
Velocity Figures: Velocity figures point out Dornoch is a racehorse enhancing with maturity and expertise. He earned a brand new career-best 107 Equibase Velocity Determine for his Haskell win and a career-top 103 Beyer Velocity Determine. The previous was a one-point bounce from his Belmont Stakes triumph, whereas his Beyer quantity improved two factors. A slight enchancment like that gives cause for hope that Dornoch can take one other step ahead within the Travers on the racetrack he received the Belmont Stakes in June.
Wanting Forward: Dornoch has at all times had vital hype behind him as a full-brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage, and extra lately as a result of one in all his co-owners is retired Main League Baseball participant and World Sequence champion Jayson Werth (Two Eight Racing). This Good Magic colt has, nevertheless, earned his accolades on the racetrack as he continues to enhance and has proven he completely relishes a struggle.
Dornoch very possible will vie for favoritism within the Travers Stakes Aug. 24. He may very well be laborious to beat on a monitor he clearly relished within the Belmont Stakes mixed with an encouraging development of rising pace figures.
By way of the Breeders’ Cup Basic in November, Dornoch might want to proceed to get higher to succeed in opposition to older males within the fall. Defeating older horses has lengthy been a litmus take a look at for 3-year-old racehorses, and people persevering with to enhance all through the summer time are sometimes those that move the take a look at within the fall. Dornoch appears like that sort of racehorse.
Whereas I do know he’d must proceed to get quicker to be an actual Basic risk, I’m shopping for Dornoch as a real contender after back-to-back wins within the Belmont and Haskell Stakes.
