Dortmund (Big Brown) will miss a match-up with Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in the Jan. 9 GII San Pasqual S., trainer Bob Baffert confirmed Sunday after the chestnut worked seven furlongs in 1:25.80 at Santa Anita.
“I missed a little time with him after that second quarter crack and he didn't really finish the way I like to see him finish,” Baffert said after watching Dortmund work Sunday. “I wanted to see him finish up a little better than he did. Our goal for him is the [Mar. 12 GI] Big Cap.”
Baffert could still be represented in the San Pasqual by Hopperturnity (Any Given Saturday). Winner of last year's San Pasqual, Hoppertunity worked seven furlongs at Santa Anita Saturday in 1:25.20. The newly turned 5-year-old most recently finished second in the Nov. 27 GI Clark H.
Also Sunday, Baffert sent out GI Los Alamitos Futurity winner Mor Spirit (Eskendereya) to work four furlongs at Santa Anita in :49.40. The dark bay is expected to make his sophomore debut in the Feb. 6 GIII Robert B. Lewis S., where he could match up again with stablemate and Futurity runner-up Toews on Ice (Archarcharch). Toews on Ice worked four furlongs Sunday in :48.80.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
