Dortmund Could Debut for Sherman in Triple Bend
Dortmund, the 2015 Santa Anita Derby winner recently transferred by owner Kaleem Shah from trainer Bob Baffert to Art Sherman, could make his first start for Sherman in next Saturday’s Grade I Triple Bend Stakes if he’s ready for the seven furlong race.
“He worked five-eighths in 59 the other day and went really well,” said Art’s son and assistant, Alan, of a breeze at Los Alamitos on Wednesday. Los Alamitos head clocker Russ Hudak said the five-year-old son of 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown “looked good.”
“He might run in the Triple Bend, I’m not sure. It might come up too quick,” Alan said. “I just don’t know if we’ll have him quite tight enough for that, but he’s getting close.”
As to two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome, retired to stud at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky following his farewell race in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational at GulfstreamPark on Jan. 28, the six-year-old California-bred is enjoying himself.
“He’s doing great,” Alan said. “He’s bred to two mares every day and loving life.”
GRAZEN SKY STRETCHES OUT AGAIN IN TIZNOW
Grazen Sky, a consistent son of the hard-hitting sire Grazen, returns to a one mile race Sunday when the stretch-running gray runs in the $100,000 Tiznow Stakes for California-bred or sired horses.
Owned and bred by Nick Alexander and trained by Steve Miyadi, Grazen Sky was second last out going seven furlongs in the Cary Grant Stakes for state-breds Nov. 20 at Del Mar. His three races prior to that were at a mile, winning one at that distance in an overnight event at Del Mar last July 15.
“There’s nowhere else to run him,” Miyadi said in explaining the move. “It could be a sloppy track and we’ll find out if he likes the mud.”
Grazen Sky has won four of 19 starts, with eight seconds and four thirds, good for $392,638 in earnings.
The field for the Tiznow, which goes as the eighth of nine races: Indygo Holiday, Martin Pedroza, 20-1; Magic Mark, Joe Talamo, 5-2; Patriots Rule, Israel Ocampo, 8-1; Solid Wager, Victor Espinoza, 3-1; Acceptance, Stewart Elliott, 4-1; Grazen Sky, Tyler Baze, 4-1; and Avanti Bello, Flavien Prat, also 4-1.
BAL A BALI TRAINING UP TO KILROE MILE
Bal a Bali, who worked seven furlongs on Santa Anita’s fast main track Friday in 1:26.80, is training for his return to the races in the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile on March 11.
The seven-year-old Brazilian-bred full horse has not raced since finishing eighth in the Grade I Gold Cup at Santa Anita going a mile and a quarter on dirt last June 25.
“I don’t have an option but to train up to the race,” said Richard Mandella, who conditions the son of Put It Back for Calumet Farm. “It’s the only thing I’ve got to do with him, and he’s a good horse, so I’m going to give it a go.”
Bal a Bali was third in the 2016 Kilroe behind What a View and runner-up Bolo, who worked five furlongs on the main track today in 1:00.80 for Carla Gaines, who has the son of Temple City ticketed for this year’s Kilroe.
FINISH LINES: Stewart Elliott, on becoming the 68th winner of the prestigious George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award: “It’s a great honor, especially because it comes from my peers.” The 51-year-old Toronto native, winner of more than 4,700 races including the 2004 Kentucky Derby aboard Smarty Jones, will receive his award in a Winner’s Circle ceremony at Santa Anita next month . . . Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner and 2016 Eclipse champion in that category Champagne Room worked four furlongs on the main track Saturday in 47.60. Trainer Peter Eurton has her pointed to the $75,000 China Doll Stakes at a mile on turf March 11 . . . Imperative worked six furlongs on the training track in 1:16.40 for Bob Hess Jr. who is preparing the winner of more than $2 million for the Santa Anita Handicap . . . Streaking Grade II winner Vale Dori, working for the Grade I Santa Margarita Stakes March 18 and a possible meeting with Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner and Eclipse champion Finest City, went six furlongs for Bob Baffert in 1:15 . . .To view uncut morning workout videos, visit XBTV.com, under the video on demand link . . . Dan Ward, assistant to Jerry Hollendorfer, reports two-time champion Songbird “sounder than ever” as she prepares for her four-year-old campaign. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro currently is jogging two miles daily . . . Team O’Neill has horses running on four fronts this weekend: Qatar (where trainer Doug O’Neill is with Royal Albert Hall), the Fair Grounds, Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita . . . Dawn Wells, known to millions as Mary Anne on one of the most popular sitcoms in television history, CBS’s Gilligan’s Island, will present the trophy to the winning connections of today’s Sensational Star Stakes, along with Bill Spawr, who trained the multiple stakes winner for which the third race is named . . . All THOROUGHBREDS members at Santa Anita on Big ’Cap Day, March 11, will receive a free Santa Anita umbrella with paid admission while supplies last. There will be a $1 million guaranteed Late Pick 4 and a $100,000 guaranteed Pick 6. First post time is 12 noon. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.
Source: Santa Anita Park