Dortmund remains perfect with San Felipe Stakes win

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Dortmund came into Saturday's $400,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita undefeated and remained that way with a solid victory in the 1 1/16-mile event.

The San Felipe is the final local prep for the Santa Anita Derby on April 4. Last year California Chrome won the stakes on his way to winning the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby, Preakness and being named Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old.

Trained by Bob Baffert for Kaleem Shah, Dortmund went off as the 4-5 morning line favorite in the 10-horse field. With his regular jockey Martin Garcia again in the saddle the chestnut colt assumed the lead shortly after the start and led the entire race.

Dortmund repelled a challenge at the top of the stretch by Prospect Park and Bolo to drive home for a 1 1/4-length victory. Prospect Park, the 4-1 second pick, was second followed by Bolo and Lord Nelson.

"Coming into this race he was doing much better than he was last time," Baffert noted about Dortmund. "He's starting to fill out, getting stronger. As long as he stays healthy, the farther they go, he's just getting cranked up there at the end, so that was pretty exciting.

"The worse thing you can do is take him back and get him behind a wall of horses. He was doing it pretty easily. He'll stay here (for the Santa Anita Derby)."

Rounding out the finish were The Gomper, Pulmarack, Pain and Misery, Ocho Ocho Ocho, Sir Samson and Kenjisstorm.

The time for the San Felipe was 1:41.65 on a fast track.

The race was worth 50 points to the winning horse toward a start in the 141st Kentucky Derby on May 2. Dortmund now has 70 points in the points system that determines the 20-horse starting field.

Dortmund, a son of 2008 champion 3-year-old Big Brown, collected $240,000 for his fifth win in as many starts. The colt has banked $689,400.

Dortmund was coming off a victory four weeks ago as the 3-5 favorite in the $150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita. He won first time out last Nov. 2 at Santa Anita and followed on Nov. 29 with a 7 3/4-length victory in an allowance race at Churchill Downs. The chestnut colt defeated Firing Line in last December's Los Alamitos Futurity by a head.

Dortmund paid $3.60, $2.60 and $2.20. Prospect Park returned $3.80 and $3.40, and Bolo paid $4.60 to show.