Dortmund, Other CA Shippers Arrive at CD
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Undefeated Dortmund strode off the horse van April 26 at Churchill Downs and Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was one step closer, with one less thing to worry about in the days counting down to the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr .I).
The Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner flew in from California on a Tex Sutton charter and arrived on the Churchill backstretch shortly after 12:30 p.m. EDT along with Sunland Derby (gr. III) winner Firing Line and Eddie Logan Stakes winner Bolo, who comes off a third-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby.
Dortmund, a son of 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown , was bedded down in Baffert's Barn 33 along with Zayat Stables' Arkansas Derby (gr. I) winner American Pharoah, the 2-year-old champion male of 2014 who turned in his lone pre-Derby work at Churchill earlier in the morning when he went five furlongs in :58 2/5, fastest of 32 moves at the distance. Dortmund clocked his final breeze at Santa Anita Park April 25 when he went six furlongs in 1:13 3/5. He will meet the Zayats' homebred son of Pioneerof the Nile for the first time in the Kentucky Derby.
NOVAK: American Pharoah Has Lone Churchill Breeze
BALAN: Dortmund Runs Easy in Final Derby Drill
Firing Line, Arnold Zetcher's Line of David colt, walked the grassy area outside Barn 42 upon arrival with assistant trainer Carlos Santamaria and exercise rider Humberto Gomez. Trainer Simon Callaghan is scheduled to come on board from his Santa Anita headquarters on April 28.
Golden Pegasus Racing and Earle Mack's Bolo, a Temple City colt who is trained by veteran California conditioner Carla Gaines, took up residence in Barn 45. He was joined by his groom, Daniel Marquez, along with his exercise rider, Tony Rubalcaba, who had flown a red-eye out of Los Angeles to be on hand for their charge's arrival. Gaines plans to be on hand April 27.
Expected to ship to Churchill April 27 are Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) winner Carpe Diem and UAE Derby (UAE-II) winner Mubtaahij, along with Zayat Stables' El Kabeir. TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I) winner Frosted and Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth (gr. II) second Upstart arrive April 28.