• 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags) is “doing great, working great and looks great,” reports trainer Richard Mandella, who is preparing the 3-year-old filly for a start in the GI Zenyatta S., a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar Nov. 3.
Owned by breeder Herman Sarkowsky in partnership with Pam and Marty Wygod, the bay filly exploded onto the scene with her 'Rising Star'-worthy performance, a 4 1/4-length victory going 5 1/2 panels at Santa Anita Mar. 11 before a breathtaking 11 3/4-length success when trying two turns for the first time in the GI Santa Anita Oaks the following month. She faltered as the 6-5 favorite after setting the pace in the GI Kentucky Oaks and was the 3-10 chalk for her return to action in Del Mar's GIII Torrey Pines S. Aug. 27, only to stumble at the break before weakening to sixth.
“She had a bad experience in the race at Del Mar,” the Hall of Fame trainer said. “It was just a bad day and we're trying to get it out of our head and run in the Zenyatta.”
Preparing for her first attempt against older females, Paradise Woods most recently worked seven furlongs in 1:25.20 (1/3) at Santa Anita Sept. 17.
• 'TDN Rising Star' Dortmund (Big Brown), returned to training under the care of Art Sherman earlier this year, worked a mile in 1:14.80 Thursday morning at Los Alamitos and is an increasingly likely starter in the GI Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita Sept. 30.
“We'll play it by ear and nothing's definite, but we're leaning on going,” Sherman said.
Winner of the GI Santa Anita Derby and third to his then-stablemate American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) in the 2015 GI Kentucky Derby, the strapping chestnut was runner-up to two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in last year's Awesome Again before disappointing when fourth at odds-on in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.
Turned over to Sherman, Dortmund failed to handle the turf when sixth in the GI Kilroe Mile and was last seen finishing fourth to the Baffert-trained Collected (City Zip) in the Apr. 1 Santana Mile S. His retirement was announced soon after the latter performance, but he returned to light training in July.
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