Fierceness is healthy scratch from Haskell; Dornoch stays in

Since it was so widely expected to happen, it came as little surprise Saturday morning when owner Mike Repole said Eclipse Award winner Fierceness would be a healthy scratch from the Grade 1, $1.05 million Haskell Stakes.

Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch, who was made a question mark after drawing post 1, will go forward in Saturday’s race, trainer Danny Gargan said in a Saturday text message to Horse Racing Nation.

“Fierceness will scratch today from (the) Haskell and will run in the Jim Dandy,” Repole said in a post on X at 8:01 a.m. EDT. The owner of Repole Stable is diverting Fierceness to the $500,000 Grade 2 race at Saratoga that is a traditional prep for the August running of the Travers (G1).

“So everyone understands, both horses would be the favorite in today’s Haskell,” Repole said.

Repole repeated what he said about his experience in having contenders forced out of races for unexpected reasons. Just last week Fierceness’s full brother Mentee spiked a fever and could not run in the Sanford (G3) at Saratoga.

“Last Saturday, I had Mentee as the 6-5 favorite in the Sanford,” Repole wrote. “Mentee woke up with a 102 temperature and had to be scratched. I have had the Kentucky Derby favorite scratched the morning of the race. This sport is extremely tough.”

A two-time Grade 1 winner, Fierceness will have had an 11-week break from racing by the time the Jim Dandy is run next Saturday. Last out he finished 15th as the 3-1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby.

“Only one thing left to do,” Repole wrote. “Mindframe, let’s go win the Haskell.”

Gargan confirmed in a text message that Dornoch would not be scratched after expressing reservations Wednesday about starting from near the rail in what is now a field of seven 3-year-olds for the 1 1/8-mile race.