Dortmund Could Face 'Chrome' in San Pasqual
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Dortmund won the Native Diver Stakes Nov. 28.
After a bullet workout Dec. 28, trainer Bob Baffert still wants to see one more drill before deciding whether to run Kaleem Shah's Dortmund against California Chrome in the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 9 at Santa Anita Park.
The son of Big Brown ran five furlongs in :58 3/5 Monday at Santa Anita, the fastest of 39 at the distance that day, but the Hall of Fame conditioner still wants to see a little bit more.
"His next work will let me know," Baffert said the morning of Dec. 30 at Santa Anita. "I got a little behind on him, but he got caught up. He's pretty fresh and he's been working well. The next work we'll know if he's going to run there or just wait until the San Antonio (Stakes, gr. II, Feb. 6)."
The breeze was just Dortmund's second since an impressive score in the Native Diver Stakes (gr. III) Nov. 28 at Del Mar. He worked five furlongs at Santa Anita in 1:00 2/5 Dec. 17.
BALAN: Dortmund Dominant in Native Diver
"That would be something," the trainer said of a potential matchup with California Chrome, along with fellow Baffert trainee and grade I winner Hoppertunity. "California Chrome, Dortmund, and Hoppertunity. Can you imagine that?"