Dortmund, San Felipe Rivals to SA Derby
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Bob Baffert will not be changing his plans for undefeated Dortmund after the 3-year-old colt's front-running victory in the San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) March 7 at Santa Anita Park.
Next in the son of Big Brown 's path will be the April 4 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), the trainer said March 8.
"It was a walk in the park for him," Baffert said of Dortmund's 1 1/4-length win in the San Felipe.
NOVAK: Dortmund Cruises Wire-to-Wire in San Felipe
The remainder of the San Felipe trifecta also seems intent on a return run in the West Coast's premier Triple Crown prep race, which carries a purse of $1 million.
The connections of runner-up Prospect Park and third-place finisher Bolo have every intention of taking on Dortmund again in the Santa Anita Derby.
"He came out of the race great," Prospect Park's trainer, Clifford Sise Jr. said. "I talked to (co-owner and breeder Martin Wygod) and he's very happy with the way he ran. We feel like he'll run all day and with the trip he had yesterday, we've got a pretty fresh horse this morning."
Eighth-placed Ocho Ocho Ocho also remains on target for the Santa Anita Derby, according to trainer Jim Cassidy.
"He's a little cut up," Cassidy said of the Street Sense colt. "Both front legs have some lacerations on them. He had a rough trip."
Another contender for the Santa Anita Derby could be a rested Firing Line, who was a head second to Dortmund in both the Los Alamitos Futurity (gr. I) Dec. 20 and the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 7.
Trainer Simon Callaghan said he would consider both the Santa Anita Derby and the $800,000 Sunland Derby (gr. III) March 22 at Sunland Park for the Line of David colt's next start.
"We haven't made up our minds yet," Callaghan said after Firing Line's five-furlong workout in 1:00 4/5 Sunday. "I was very happy with the work."