Dortmund, who won his first six starts in impressive fashion before finishing third in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and fourth in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), returned to the work tab on July 21st after a bit of a break.
The son of Big Brown had posted two workouts during the month of June, including a half-mile breeze in :47 2/5 seconds on June 21st, before trainer Bob Baffert decided to give the talented colt a short break to recover from his busy racing schedule. According to reports, Dortmund thrived during his rest period, and today’s workout–three furlongs in a bullet :36 1/5 at Del Mar–suggests that he is in good form and will be back to the races by late August or early September.
Although he disappointed a bit in the Derby and Preakness, Dortmund remains a major contender for the October 31st Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) thanks to his impressive accomplishments earlier this year, which includes three graded stakes wins at Santa Anita Park. His biggest victory came in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), in which he beat a talented field that included One Lucky Dane, Bolo, and Prospect Park by the decisive margin of 4 1/4 lengths.
