Dortmund took another step towards the Kentucky Derby (G1) with a handy 1 ¼-length victory Saturday’s San Felipe S. (G2) at Santa Anita Park, keeping the Kaleem Shah-owned colt undefeated in five lifetime starts.
Dortmund’s win earned him 50 points towards the Kentucky Derby, and has a total of 70, third-most in the current standings. The top 20 horses are guaranteed a position in the Derby starting gate.
As he did winning the Robert B. Lewis S. (G3) a month ago, Dortmund and jockey Martin Garcia went right to the lead in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile contest. Sir Samson pressed the pace through six furlongs in 1:11.30, then gave way. Bolo mounted a serious challenge with a furlong to go, but Dortmund put him away and held off another late charge by Prospect Park to get the distance in 1:41.65.
Bob Baffert now has a record five winners of the San Felipe, including with future Horse of the Year Point Given in 2001, a horse Dortmund resembles in size and color.
“The further they go, he just gets going,” said Baffert of the super-sized colt. “This is what you want to see. Next race is the Santa Anita Derby (April 4). Bolo really had me nervous (when he came at Dortmund in mid-stretch), he’s a good horse.”
Besides his 2015 stakes wins, Dortmund also took the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) on Dec. 20. The son of 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown has now earned $689,400.