Season Debut Delayed Again for Dortmund

Two-time grade I winner Dortmund will miss the Feb. 6 San Antonio Stakes (gr. II), Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert confirmed Feb. 2.

Kaleem Shah's towering son of Big Brown   has not yet made his 4-year-old debut, having bypassed the Jan. 9 San Pasqual Stakes (gr. II) due to a quarter crack.

Dortmund won last year's Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), a victory that capped a six-race win streak that included the San Felipe (gr. II), Robert B. Lewis (gr. III), and 2015 Los Alamitos Futurity (gr. I), Dortmund ran third in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). He came back last year after finishing fourth in the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I) and won the Big Bear Stakes in October and the Native Diver Stakes (gr. III) in November. 

He last worked five furlongs Jan. 27 at Santa Anita Park in :59 2/5 but is "not quite ready" to race, Baffert said.

Baffert listed the March 12 Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) going 1 1/4 miles as "Plan B" for the chestnut colt. The California conditioner will still have a San Antonio starter in grade I winner Hoppertunity, whose most recent work was five furlongs in a handy 1:00 Jan. 30 at Santa Anita.

Dortmund is also nominated to the March 26 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), but Baffert said he will be represented by Hoppertunity there. The son of Any Given Saturday races for Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman and finished third last out in the 1 1/16-mile San Pasqual behind 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome  , who is also mounting a Dubai World Cup bid.