Dortmund Breezes, One Lucky Dane Out with Injury

It was a bittersweet morning for Bob Baffert.

After unbeaten Santa Anita Derby winner Dortmund worked five furlongs on Santa

Anita’s main track in a bullet 58.80 under regular rider Martin Garcia for the May 2 Kentucky Derby, Santa Anita Derby runner-up One Lucky Dane, who also had been ticketed for the Run for the Roses, went five furlongs with Rafael Bejarano up in 59.20.

But One Lucky Dane lost his left front shoe soon after the work, whereupon Bejarano pulled him up. The horse ambulance brought One Lucky Dane back to Baffert’s barn.

Baffert later advised the media that X-rays had revealed the beginning of a condylar fracture in his left front foot, and that two screws would be inserted during subsequent surgery. One Lucky Dane is expected to be out four months.

One Lucky Dane worked with Air Pocket, who was clocked in 59.60.

It was immeasurably better news on Dortmund, who worked in company with Game On At Midnite, who was clocked in 1:00.80. Dortmund’s time was the fastest of 59 at the distance, the average time of which was 1:00.66.

“It was a nice move,” Baffert said of Dortmund. “He was really happy out there. The track was in great shape today. He’s happy. There’s no regression (since the Santa Anita Derby on April 4).”

Baffert said he plans to leave Tuesday for Kentucky to see Arkansas Derby winner American Pharoah, the Kentucky Derby favorite.

“He’ll breeze once there (at Churchill Downs),” Baffert said, “but it won’t be on Tuesday. He looks good so far. He hasn’t regressed, either.”

In other Kentucky Derby news:

Sunland Derby winner Firing Line worked five furlongs in company for Simon Callaghan in 1:00.40 under Gary Stevens with owner Arnold Zetcher on hand.

Stablemate Footstepsinbronze was timed in 1:01.

“I got him in a tick faster than that,” Callaghan said of Firing Line, “but it’s just what we were looking for. He sat off the lead horse, joined it, and galloped out really strong.

“Gary was really, really happy. He’ll probably have one more breeze here next Saturday, and leave for Kentucky April 26.”

Delta Jackpot winner Ocho Ocho Ocho, third in the Blue Grass Stakes on April 4, will run in the Kentucky Derby, trainer Jim Cassidy said by phone from Illinois, where he runs Verraco today in the Illinois Derby. He said the mount on Ocho Ocho Ocho was still open.