Kaleem Shah's undefeated Dortmund (Big Brown) pleased trainer Bob Baffert in his final GI Kentucky Derby work, going six furlongs in 1:13.60 (19/33) at Santa Anita Saturday morning. Baffert was looking for a more controlled breeze after last week's speedy five-furlong work in :58.80 and guided jockey Martin Garcia through the work via walkie talkie.
“He went well,” the Hall of Fame conditioner said of the 'TDN Rising Star'. “He cruised today.”
Dortmund has a perfect record of six-for-six, including an allowance win at Churchill Downs last fall, and most recently captured the GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 4. The chestnut is scheduled to ship to Kentucky Sunday, along with fellow Derby contenders Bolo (Temple City) and Firing Line (Line of David), and GI Kentucky Oaks contender Stellar Wind (Curlin).
Baffert hopped on a plane to Louisville after Dortmund's breeze to oversee the final work of his other Derby contender American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), who is scheduled to work Sunday. The conditioner said that work could be moved to Monday if the track is not “fast” due to the expected rain.
Assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes has been overseeing the GI Arkansas Derby winner's preparations so far, and galloped the Zayat Stables runner at 5:45 a.m. Saturday rather than the reserved time for Derby/Oaks contenders of 8:30 a.m. to ensure a fast track.
“The track was perfect,” Barnes said. “The weather was good. I'd rather just get him out on a good race track and be done with it.”
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