Every so often, after just about everybody decides that a 3-year-old colt has lost his way, he finds a path to the winner’s circle at big odds in a classic. That’s the world-class switcheroo 17-1 shot Dornoch pulled off in the Belmont Stakes.

His uncompetitive fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes preceded a Derby dud. He finished 10^th at Churchill Downs after being shuffled back and checked leaving the dreaded post 1. Two strong works at Saratoga leading up to the Belmont didn’t persuade many that he could rebound. Wrong.

A heady ride by Luis Saez put Dornoch in contention right from the start, prompting front-running Seize the Grey from second. Dornoch grabbed the lead from the Preakness hero in upper stretch, briefly lost it to eventual runner-up Mindframe in mid-stretch but battled back and hung on.

Gargan blamed the Blue Grass on a failed experiment to see whether Dornoch could handle dirt in his face. His miserable Derby trip was a throwout, and he said Saez told him afterward that he thought he could win the Belmont.

Even though Dornoch led throughout three of his four wins, Gargan thinks he’s better as a stalker. Fierceness (who may run in the Jim Dandy on July 27 instead) looms as the Haskell’s main speed, which is fine with Gargan.

“My horse likes to have something to aim at,” he told Thoroughbred Racing Commentary. “He’ll sit half a length off Fierceness and run hard all the way down the stretch.”

Could be, but he won’t be close to 17-1 Saturday at Monmouth. Your move.

Post position: 1

Odds: 5-2

Jockey: Luis Saez

Trainer: Danny Gargan

Owners: West Paces Racing, R.A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing, Pine Racing Stables

Career record: 8-4-2-0

Career earnings: $1,752,275

Last race: Belmont Stakes, June 8 (1^st)

Top Equibase speed figure: 106

Pedigree: Good Magic-Puca, by Big Brown

Color: Bay

Running style: Speed/stalk

Notes: Dornoch is the full brother of 2023 Kentucky Derby hero Mage and the maternal grandson of 2008 Derby-Preakness winner Big Brown … Puca, the dam of Mage and Dornoch, is America’s most celebrated four-legged mother since Better Than Honour, who produced back-to-back Belmont Stakes winners Jazil (2006) and the filly Rags to Riches (2007).

The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.