Dortmund Looks to Regain Form in Santana Mile

Well Maybe's 3 1/2-length win in a 5 1/2-furlong claiming race March 19 at Santa Anita Park did a little more than just bring in a $13,200 winner's share of the purse for trainer Art Sherman.

In the winner's circle at Santa Anita, the proverbial monkey was removed from Sherman's back following a "Chrome hangover."

After California Chrome's last win in the Nov. 17 Winter Challenge Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course, Sherman went cold. In a three-month stretch, the 80-year-old trainer was winless in 17 starts. He wasn't going hungry thanks to a pair of grade 2 placings from Show Stealer, but it was nice to get back into the sunny winner's circle in Arcadia, Calif.

"It kinda kicks your ass," Sherman said of the losing streak. "There was (a monkey on my back). We had a lot of horses that weren't ready to run and the rain set us back, but now things are turning around."

One of those 17 races was Dortmund's first start for Sherman—and his first try on grass—in the March 11 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T). The hulking chestnut looked uncomfortable on the turf throughout and never seriously threatened, so he'll go back to the surface where he's won eight races in the $75,000 Santana Mile April 1 at Santa Anita.

"He blew out very well and I think he's going to run a big race," Sherman said of the Kaleem Shah-owned 5-year-old, who ran a half-mile in :46 flat March 25 at Los Alamitos, his only work between the Kilroe and the Santana Mile. "He's training a lot better and he needed that race. Even though it was a lousy race, it opened his lungs a little bit and got him fit."

Another monkey Sherman would like to remove is for Shah. Although Shah moved most of his horses to trainer Doug O'Neill when he split with previous conditioner Bob Baffert at the end of 2016, Sherman still feels the pressure to be successful for the high-profile owner.

"He's a guy that's looking for you to produce and he's a great guy to train for," Sherman said. "We had lunch the other day and we're even going to try to buy one or two for him at the (Barretts) sale today. But we'd really love to win a race or two for him."

The only grade 1 winner in the field, Dortmund easily separates himself from the other seven in back class, but he's still looking for his first win since the 2015 Native Diver Stakes (G3).

The son of Big Brown   isn't alone in that aspect. Several of the Santana Mile entrants are seeking their first victories in a while. The most prominent appears to be Speedway Stable's Collected, trained by Baffert, who will be making his first start since running 10th in the 2016 Preakness Stakes (G1). Prior to the Preakness, the City Zip   colt won a trio of stakes during his 3-year-old year—the Sham (G3), Sunland Park Festival of Racing, and Lexington (G3).

ANGST: In Lexington Stakes, Collected Cashes In

The other grade 3 winner in the field, Dalmore, will seek to break a six-race winless streak in stakes competition since his last victory in the 2016 Affirmed (G3).

The two horses entering the Santana Mile off victories both come from the O'Neill barn. The familiar face is Feb. 26 Tiznow Stakes winner Avanti Bello, and the newcomer is Mithqaal, a Speightstown   gelding who will make his first start for O'Neill after back-to-back synthetic-track wins at Southwell Racecourse in England in December and January.

Santana Mile S.

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, April 01, 2017, Race 8

• STK
• 1m
• Dirt
• $75,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:10 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Magic Mark (CA)	Joseph Talamo	120	Ronald W. Ellis	8/1
2	2Dalmore (FL)	Stewart Elliott	122	J. Keith Desormeaux	8/1
3	3Dortmund (KY)	Victor Espinoza	120	Art Sherman	6/5
4	4Clever Royal (FL)	Corey S. Nakatani	120	Kristin Mulhall	12/1
5	5Collected (KY)	Martin Garcia	120	Bob Baffert	3/1
6	6Mithqaal (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	122	Doug F. O'Neill	8/1
7	7Avanti Bello (CA)	Flavien Prat	122	Doug F. O'Neill	9/2