Alan Porter’s 2025 Breeding Analysis for Dornoch

A grade two winner at two, Dornoch, is a multiple grade one winning classic winner at three. He is by Champion Two-Year-Old and outstanding young sire, Good Magic, out of a stakes winning mare, and is a brother to a Kentucky Derby winner.

Good Magic has been very good with mares from the Storm Cat line. He also has graded winner Dubyuhnell out of a mare by Forest Wildcat (sire of Wildcat Heir and D’Wildcat); graded stakes winner Reincarnate out of a mare by Scat Daddy (by Johannesburg, himself broodmare sire of a Curlin line grade one winner, and a son of Hennessy, also sire of Henny Hughes – himself broodmare sire of a graded winner by a son of Curlin); there are two Good Magic stakes winners out of mares by Harlan’s Holiday (sire of Into Mischief, Majesticperfection and Shanghai Bobby); and a stakes winner out of a mare by Tale of Ekati (sire of Girvin, and a son of Tale of the Cat, also sire of Lion Heart, and grandsire of Kantharos and Uncaptured). On the cross of Curlin and other sons over Storm Cat line, we can also note grade one winner Grace Adler out of a mare by Newfoundland, and black-type winners out of mares by Giant’s Causeway (who is represented by such as Not This Time, Creative Cause, Eskendereya, First Samurai and Frost Giant), Forestry (sire of Discreet Cat and Shackleford), Stormy Atlantic, Stormin Fever, Tactical Cat, Lion Hearted, Lion Hearted and Pure Prize. Daughters of Bernstein, Bluegrass Cat, Cat Thief, Freud (brother to Giant’s Causeway) and Yankee Gentleman could also be considered.

Good Magic has grade one winner Blazing Sevens out of a mare by Warrior’s Reward, a son of Medaglia d’Oro, also sire of Violence and Bolt d’Oro. Medaglia d’Oro is by El Prado, also sire of Kitten’s Joy and Artie Schiller, and Sadler’s Wells has also been represented in North America by Magician and Capo Blanco (both by Galileo), Powerscourt and Horse Chestnut. The Sadler’s Wells strain is intriguing here as Dornoch’s broodmare sire is out of a mare by Sadler’s Wells’ three-quarters brother, Nureyev, and is strongly linebred to the family of Sadler’s Wells and Nureyev.

We can also note that crossed of Nureyev line mares, Curlin has a classic winner out of a mare by Royal Anthem and a stakes winner out of a mare by that horse’s sire, Theatrical, and a graded stakes winner out of a mare by Great Commotion. This also suggests trying daughters of Atticus, Fasliyev, Unusual Heat and Spinning World.

Good Magic is out of a Danzig line mare, but like his sire, Curlin and grandsire, Smart Strike, he has crossed well back over mares from the Danzig line. Dornoch is a product of that same cross, but here Danzig will be in the fifth generation of his foals, permitting crossing back over that line again. As far as Good Magic is concerned, we can note that his 2024 grade one winner Mixto is out of a mare by Concerto, whose son, Bellamy Road, is broodmare sire of Curlin grade one winner Bright Future. On this cross, we can also note a quartet of stakes winners out of daughters of Polish Numbers; grade one winner Known Agenda out of a mare by Byron (from the Danehill branch) as well as stakes winners out of mares by Foxhound, Pine Bluff and Ascot Knight. This would also make it worth considering mares by War Front (sire of The Factor, Summer Front, Declaration of War and Hit it a Bomb), War Chant, Exchange Rate, Langfuhr and Belong to Me.

From another branch of Northern Dancer, there is a Curlin grade two winner out of a mare by Dixieland Band and another out of a mare by that horse’s son, Dixie Union (sire of Union Rags). This line could also be sourced through High Cotton, Hook and Ladder (broodmare sire of a Curlin line stakes winner) and Overanalyze.

Curlin is out of a Deputy Minister mare – another branch of Northern Dancer – but he and his sons have enjoyed exceptional success with inbreeding to that strain this already appearing in more than 30 stakes winners, six grade one. Out of mares by Awesome Again there are six stakes winners, including grade one winner Keen Ice, and Awesome Again is sire of Ghostzapper, Paynter, Oxbow, Daheer, Toccet, Awesome of Course and Awesome Patriot. Other Deputy Minister branches that could be used are Dehere (whose son, Graeme Hall, is broodmare sire of Curlin grade one winner Curalina), Forest Camp, French Deputy and Silver Deputy. There is also a stakes winner out of a mare by Silver Deputy son Posse and other sources of Silver Deputy are Archers Bay, Badge of Silver and Spring at Last.

Good Magic has sired a stakes winner out of a mare by Malibu Moon, a son of A.P. Indy. The cross of Curlin and sons with mares from the A.P. Indy line has produced nearly 40 stakes winners.  There are ten stakes winners out of mares by A.P. Indy himself, including Champions Malathaat and Nest, and grade one winners Idol and Global Campaign, as well as eight stakes winners, including grade one winners Paris Lights and Clairiere, out of mares by that horse’s son Bernardini (sire of Stay Thirsty and To Honor and Serve). There is a graded winner by Curlin out of a mare by Flatter (sire of Upstart and Flat Out). Culin grade one winner Cody’s Wish is out of a mare by Tapit (sire of Constitution, Frosted, Tonalist, Concord Point, Tapizar, Tapiture, Hansen and Trappe Shot). Tapit is by A.P. Indy son, Pulpit (also sire of Corinthian – broodmare sire of a Curlin line graded winner – Sky Mesa and Stroll). There is also a graded winner by Curlin out of a mare by Majestic Warrior, and it could also be worth considering mares by Congrats (a brother to Flatter), Mineshaft (sire of Dialed In and Discreetly Mine), Jump Start and Stephen Got Even.

Curlin and sons are outperforming opportunity with mares from the Unbridled’s Song branch of the Fappiano line. That includes grade one winner Idiomatic out of a mare by First Defence, and grade two winner Vegas Magic out of a mare by Rockport Harbor, and stakes winners out of mares by Unbridled Express, Old Fashioned, Even the Score and Eurosilver, with other possibilities including Arrogate (who will double Deputy Minster, a positive here), Liam’s Map, Midshipman, Cross Traffic, Songandaprayer, Half Ours, Graydar, Dunkirk and Will Take Charge. There is also a stakes winner out of a mare by Quiet American (grandsire of Midnight Lute) from another branch of Fappiano.

From the Gone West branch of Mr. Prospector, Curlin has sired stakes winner Scotland out of a mare by Speightstown (sire of Munnings) and stakes winner Magic Spoon out of mare by Canadian Frontier. Other Gone West branches include Elusive Quality (sire of Quality Road and Smarty Jones), Grand Slam, Mr. Greeley and Proud Citizen. There is also a Good Magic stakes winner out of a mare by Roman Ruler and one out of a mare by Aldebaran.

Good Magic has grade one winner Muth, out of a mare by Uncle Mo (sire of Nyquist, Laoban and Outwork). Curlin has a graded stakes winner out of a mare by Indian Charlie, a son of In Excess. In Excess is also sire of Rocky Bar, Notional and Bring the Heat, and Indian Charlie is also sire of Adios Charlie, Bwana Charlie, Liaison and Cinco Charlie.

Good Magic has a stakes winner out of a mare by Tiznow, and a graded stakes winner out of a mare by Tiznow son, Colonel John, and Curlin has a graded winner out of a mare by Tiznow son, Morning Line, and this also suggests mares by Tiz Wonderful.