HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Dornoch ran into the Kentucky Derby mix on Saturday, winning the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park as the overwhelming favorite.
The win comes with 50 Kentucky Derby standings points, which typically is enough for a horse to qualify for the opening race of the Triple Crown season. The Kentucky Derby is May 4.
Dornoch finished the mile-and-a-sixteenth in 1 minute, 43.64 seconds for trainer Danny Gargan and jockey Luis Saez. It was the third consecutive win for Dornoch, who opened his career with a pair of second-place finishes — both narrow losses — and hasn’t lost since.
Saez has been the rider for all three of those wins, including Dornoch’s most recent outing before Saturday at the Grade 2 Remsen in December at Aqueduct. The win pushed Dornoch’s career earnings to nearly $500,000 and lifted his Kentucky Derby points total to 60. He had 10 points from winning the Remsen.
Dornoch returned $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10. Le Dom Bro paid $7.40 and $3.40, and Frankie’s Empire paid $2.60.
All five finishers got Kentucky Derby points. Le Dom Bro got 25, Frankie’s Empire 15, Real Macho 10 and Dancing Groom got five.
Speak Easy — one of the favorites — was scratched minutes before post time after acting up in the post parade. That meant the field was down to five, and Dornoch went to a 1-5 favorite once Speak Easy was out. Dornoch went to the lead within the first two furlongs and stayed there; Le Dom Bro made a move on the inside as they went into the final turn, but never got to the lead.
Dornoch has now run his five races at five different tracks: Saratoga, Monmouth, Keeneland, Aqueduct and now Gulfstream. Staying at Gulfstream would figure to be an option for the Florida Derby on March 30.
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