Baffert: Dortmund is 'Figuring it Out'

It wasn't the fractions that excited Bob Baffert about undefeated Dortmund's workout the morning of Feb. 26 at Santa Anita Park, it was how the massive 3-year-old son of Big Brown   handled himself.

The Kaleem Shah-owned colt officially went seven furlongs in 1:25 3/5 and was the only horse to cover the distance at the Southern California track Thursday, but the trainer also said the colt ran the first six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 and galloped out to a mile in about 1:38.

"His last two works have really been his best works. I think the light finally went on," Baffert said. 

Baffert's distinction should draw raised eyebrows, because Dortmund already is co-favorite in the most-recent Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool—with stablemate American Pharoah—at 8-1, with a four-for-four record after winning the Los Alamitos Futurity (gr. I) Dec. 20 and the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita Feb. 7.

"I think he's finally figuring out how he's supposed to do it," Baffert said. "I've been waiting for it. He has been getting it done, because he's a good horse, but the light is just going on now."

The Kentucky-bred colt out of the Tale of the Cat   mare Our Josephina also ran into some unexpected company during the training session, which is really what impressed Baffert.

"He went off by himself, but it worked out great, because he left the three-quarter pole and (another) horse left the five-eighths," Baffert said. "It was good for him, because (jockey Martin Garcia) grabbed him, made him slow down, and let the other horse go.

"He tracked really well and that's the whole thing—he hasn't been tracking. He has been wanting to run off. Then, when (Garcia) asked him to go, he took off."

Though happy with Dortmund's recent work schedule, Baffert would not commit to the colt's next Triple Crown prep race, but he narrowed it down to either the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) March 7 or the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) April 4. The San Felipe covers 1 1/16 miles, while the Santa Anita Derby is at 1 1/8 miles.

"We're leaving that open," Baffert said. "We've looked at the San Felipe, but today, I wanted to see what he showed me, if we should sit on him that long (for the Santa Anita Derby). I don't want to make that call yet."

Another horse potentially pointed toward the San Felipe, undefeated Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (gr. III) winner Ocho Ocho Ocho, posted a bullet work covering six furlongs at Santa Anita.

The Street Sense   colt owned by DP Racing and trained by James Cassidy covered the three-quarters in 1:12. Though he hasn't raced since November, Ocho Ocho Ocho has posted impressive works in five consecutive weeks at Santa Anita.

El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) winner Metaboss, trained by Jeff Bonde, also made an appearance Thursday morning. He worked five furlongs in 1:02 4/5.

Outside of 3-year-olds, Baffert sent out Hoppertunity, who was third to Shared Belief and California Chrome in the San Antonio Invitational Stakes (gr. II) last time out. The 4-year-old Any Given Saturday colt worked five furlongs in 1:00, a second off the bullet work of the day by Michael Pender-trained Tiz Futurity (:59).

Baffert said he is considering Hoppertunity for a run in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), where he would likely encounter Shared Belief again, or a trip to Dubai, where he could encounter California Chrome.