Dornoch

Approaching the start of the sixth week of the season at Delaware Park, a pair of apprentices--one a five-pound bugboy and the other still with his seven-pound allowance--are riding high atop the jockey standings. Through Saturday's racing, the Delaware win totals by Gabriel Maldonado (25) and Ederik Robles (18) matched the rookies' ages. Maldonado just finished a blast-off week that saw him winning nine races in a four-day span at three different tracks. On Wednesday, the five-pound apprentice tallied with the last of six afternoon mounts at Delaware, then traveled...

Trainer Danny Gargan's stable is humming along at a nice clip in the wake of celebrating a little over a week ago his first Grade I win with Dornoch (Good Magic) in the Belmont S. and with Society Man (Good Magic) taking the GIII Matt Winn S. at Churchill Downs a day later. Gargan stopped by the TDN Writers' Room podcast for a conversation. Finally, to cap his stellar week, Complexion (Complexity) broke her maiden at first asking during the Belmont at the Big A meet on Friday, which earned...

Jockey agent Kiaran McLaughlin will add jockey John Velazquez to his roster, which already includes Luis Saez, McLaughlin announced Friday on X. . "It came about because Ron (Anderson) has three jockeys and he was only allowed two, so he reached out to me a few days ago and said would you be interested in Johnny," said McLaughlin, reached by the TDN Friday morning. "He said he thought we'd be a good match. After I talked to Luis, I said I said I'd be honored to take him." Saez has...

Dornoch (Good Magic) had not been running particularly well. He was a badly beaten fourth in the GI Blue Grass S. and followed that up with a 10th place showing in the GI Kentucky Derby. But trainer Danny Gargan never gave up on his colt, and was brimming with confidence in the days leading up to the GI Belmont S., contested this year at Saratoga. He was proven right as the bay colt won the final leg of the Triple Crown by a half-length at odds of 17-1. "We were...

After getting his first career Grade I in the Belmont S. with Dornoch and then celebrating another victory with GII Matt Winn S. winner Society Man the following day, trainer Danny Gargan had a lot to talk about on this week's TDN Writers' Room.

Saratoga Race Course, often referred to as the "Graveyard of Favorites," has always held a special place in the hearts of racing enthusiasts. This historic venue, which has witnessed countless moments of glory and heartbreak, added another illustrious chapter to its storied legacy with the hosting of the 2024 GI Belmont S. As someone who has been attending races at Saratoga since 1962 and has had the privilege of witnessing numerous Triple Crown events, Breeders' Cup races, and other remarkable moments in horse racing history, I can unequivocally say that...

The mighty Curlin's heir apparent might be a son standing alongside him at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. Your average young stallion doesn't usually follow up a first-crop Classic winner with another one in his second crop. To be fair, your average young stallion doesn't often have a Classic winner at all. Good Magic is quickly proving he is not your average young stallion. "Classic horses are certainly the peak, the goal of anyone who breeds, sells, or owns, or even stands stallions," said Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura, who...

Highlighted by a 17-1 upset victory by Dornoch (Good Magic) in the $2-million GI Belmont S., the four-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival drew better than 120,000 racing fans to Saratoga for the unprecedented event, approximately double the attendance for the two most recent runnings at Belmont Park. Thursday's opening day of the Festival featured a pair of $150,000 stakes for the 2-year-old males and females and the first of the weekend's 14 graded stakes, the GII Belmont Gold Cup. In front of an announced crowd of 22,027, renowned Australian commentator...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY-A steady rain Sunday morning wasn't going to put a damper on the mood at the barn of trainer Danny Gargan on the Saratoga backstretch. When you have the winner of the GI Belmont S. in one of your stalls, a lousy morning isn't going to feel so bad. And Dornoch (Good Magic), the upset winner of the Belmont, does indeed live in Gargan's barn. "My phone had 290 text messages on it," Gargan said, standing outside his office. "My phone hasn't stopped ringing. He came out of...

Society Man capped a big weekend for trainer Danny Gargan and Hill 'n' Dale stallion Good Magic with a powerful victory in the GIII Matt Winn S. at Churchill Downs Sunday. Like his GI Belmont S.-winning stablemate Dornoch (Good Magic), Society Man was making his first start since the May 4 GI Kentucky Derby, where he was 16th. The chestnut gelding was unhurried and settled near the back of the pack while racing along the rail and avoiding traffic on the first turn. Favored Who Dey rushed between foes to...

Edited Press Release Saturday's blockbuster Belmont Stakes Day card, highlighted by Dornoch's victory in the 156th running of the GI $2-million Belmont S. presented by NYRA Bets, generated all-sources handle of $125,748,941, a New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) record for a non-Triple Crown year. The 2024 all-sources handle figure is an increase of more than 6.3% over the previous non-Triple Crown record of $118,283,455, which was set in 2023. On-track handle for the 14-race Belmont Stakes Day card, which included six Grade 1 races among nine total stakes, was...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--Coming into this year's GI Belmont S., Dornoch (Good Magic) had the credentials to be a good one. As a full-brother to last year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage, the pedigree was certainly there. His rider, Luis Saez, is one of the leading jocks in the country, having registered his first victory in a Classic with Essential Quality in the 2021 GI Belmont S. Not to mention that the colt had already won a pair of graded stakes--last season's GII Remsen S. in addition to the GII Fountain...