Dortmund Looms Large in Native Diver

Originally scheduled to start in Friday's GI Clark H. at Churchill Downs, Kaleem Shah's Dortmund (Big Brown) will instead line up for Saturday's GIII Native Diver S. at Del Mar after a quarter crack prevented him from shipping to Kentucky with stablemate Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday). Kicking off his career with six straight victories including the GI Santa Anita Derby, the “TDN Rising Star” suffered his first defeat at the hooves of fellow Bob Baffert trainee American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) when finishing third after setting the early pace in the GI Kentucky Derby May 2. Fourth to the eventual Triple Crown winner in a sloppy renewal of the GI Preakness S. two weeks later, the hulking chestnut was given some time off and returned the easiest of winner's in Santa Anita's one-mile Big Bear S. Oct. 24. Dortmund, who is headed back to Arcadia for the GI Malibu S. Dec. 26, has been working well in the interim and gives all the signs he is sitting on another big performance.

The biggest threat to the favorite is fellow sophomore Iron Fist (Tapit), owned by Regis Racing and Stonestreet Stables. Earning his diploma at fifth asking at Santa Anita May 25, the Jerry Hollendorfer pupil followed suit with an optional claimer win there June 28 and was fourth in the GII West Virginia Derby next out Aug. 1. Second to Frosted (Tapit) in the GII Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 19, the gray was a decisive optional claimer winner going a mile over this strip Nov. 1.

KM Racing Enterprise's GII Charles Town Classic winner Imperative (Bernardini) makes just his third start for trainer Richard Baltas here after transferring from the George Papaprodromou barn this spring. Fifth behind two-time champion Beholder (Henny Hughes) in his debut for this outfit in the GI Pacific Classic Aug. 22, the bay gelding was fourth behind an impressive performance from Smooth Roller (Hard Spun) in Arcadia's GI Awesome Again S. last time Sept. 26.

Another interesting contender in this test is DP Racing's Yahilwa (Medaglia d'Oro), who faces males for the first time here. Winner of the GIII Sixty Sails H. this spring, the Jim Cassidy trainee has faced the best females from both coasts this season, including a runner-up effort behind Beholder in the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. here Aug. 1. Third by a neck in a tight finish with Got Lucky (A.P. Indy) and champion Untapable (Tapit) in Keeneland's GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Oct. 4, the bay was sixth last time in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff in Lexington Oct. 30.