Dortmund to Track, Other Derby Horses Arrive
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Kaleem Shah's undefeated Dortmund got reacquainted with the Twin Spires April 27, making his first trip around Churchill Downs this year with an easy jog after arriving from California the afternoon of April 26.
The enormous 17-hand son of 2008 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Big Brown drew frequent comments from a crowd of onlookers over his size. Dana Barnes was in the irons aboard Dortmund as he circled the track and then walked off with Jimmy Barnes on the pony.
In his previous start Dortmund won the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) by 4 1/4 lengths. He won an allowance race Nov. 29 at Churchill in his one and only race on the Louisville oval. He will meet fellow Bob Baffert trainee American Pharoah, the champion 2-year-old of 2014 and winner of the Arkansas Derby (gr. I), for the first time in the May 2 Kentucky Derby.
Arnold Zetcher's Firing Line, easy winner of the Sunland Derby (gr. III), also jogged at Churchill April 27 after arriving on the same flight as Dortmund. Firing Line, by Line of David , passed Dortmund in the Feb. 7 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (gr. II), but the big colt surged back to beat him by a head.
Bolo, third in the Santa Antia Derby last time out, got his first look at the track Monday as well.
Meanwhile, multiple graded stakes winner El Kabeir shipped in early the morning of April 27 from New York, while Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) winner Carpe Diem vanned over from Keeneland and International Star arrived from Churchill's Trackside training center around noon. Mubtaahij, winner of the United Arab Emirates Derby (UAE-II), was slated to ship in from Arlington International Racecourse at about 6 p.m. EDT.
The rest of the Derby horses were scheduled to be on the grounds April 28, with TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial (gr. I) winner Frosted and Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth (gr. II) runner-up Upstart expected from Palm Meadows training center in Florida and Derby "bubble horse" Frammento planned to van in from Keeneland.
See footage of Dortmund's arrival as Claire Novak gives us the schedule for the rest of the field's arrival.
International Star arrives: