Dortmund Set for Stakes Debut in Los Alamitos Futurity
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Dortmund, a winner of his two starts by a combined 12 ½ lengths, and Mr. Z, runner-up in four of his six graded stakes appearances, will square off in the Grade I, $500,000-guaranteed Los Alamitos Futurity Saturday, Dec. 20 at Los Alamitos.
Scheduled at 1 1/16 miles, the Futurity will be run for the first time at Los Alamitos after being offered as the Hollywood Futurity (1981-2006) and CashCall Futurity (2007-2013) at Hollywood Park, which discontinued live racing last Dec. 22.
Won in Inglewood by future stars such as Snow Chief, A.P. Indy, Best Pal, Real Quiet, Point Given, Lookin At Lucky and Shared Belief, the Futurity winner earns 10 “Road to the Kentucky Derby’’ points towards securing a spot in the starting gate next May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Owned by Kaleem Shah, Inc. and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Dortmund was more than comfortable in his first visit to Louisville.
The son of 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown won a one-mile optional claimer by 7 ¾ lengths at Churchill Downs in his first race vs. winners. The Nov. 29 victory came four weeks after a 4 ¾ length debut win at Santa Anita.
Since returning to California, Dortmund worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 Dec. 9 at Santa Anita.
The leading trainer at the Winter thoroughbred meet, Baffert won the Hollywood/CashCall Futurity a record six times. His most recent success came with Liasion in 2011.
Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas and owned by Zayat Stables LLC, Mr. Z will make his second appearance in California after missing by a nose to the undefeated Ocho Ocho Ocho in the Grade III, $1 million Delta Jackpot Nov. 22 at Delta Downs in Vinton, La.
A son of Malibu Moon and the Storm Cat mare Stormy Bear, Mr. Z, who has banked $439,726 in seven starts, was fifth of 11 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile won Nov. 1 by Texas Red.
In his only other Grade I attempt, the $135,000 yearling purchase was second at 17-1 behind runaway winner Carpe Diem in the Breeders’ Futurity Oct. 4 at Keeneland.
Fresh off a Grade I victory at Los Alamitos with Take Charge Brandi in the $350,500 Starlet Dec. 13, Lukas will be seeking his fifth Futurity win, having won at Hollywood Park with Stalwart (1981), Tejano (1987), Grand Canyon (1989) and Tactical Cat (1998).
Prepping for the Futurity, Mr. Z drilled five furlongs in 1:00 Sunday morning at Los Alamitos. According to track clocker Russ Hudak, the chestnut colt went the first quarter mile in 24.40 seconds and three-eighths in 36.20 before completing the final two furlongs in 23.80.
Besides Dortmund and Mr. Z, other possible Futurity starters include Bench Warrant, No Problem, winner of the Grade III Bob Hope Stakes Nov. 15 at Del Mar, Firing Line and the Peter Miller-trained trio of Calculator, Tizcano and Serbian Syclone.
Entries for the Los Alamitos Futurity will be taken Wednesday, Dec. 17.
Source: Los Alamitos
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