Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile: Dortmund done chasing California Chrome

The Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile picked up a major player this week when trainer Bob Baffert said Dortmund is being pointed to the Nov. 4 race at Santa Anita.

Dortmund has been chasing Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite California Chrome in his last three starts, finishing second to him in the San Diego at Del Mar, third to him in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, and second to him in the Awesome Again in his most recent start Oct. 1 at Santa Anita.

“That Chrome, he’s tough to beat,” Baffert said. “We took him on – tried off the pace, going with him.”

Dortmund ran one of the best races of his career in the Awesome Again, a 1 1/8-mile race in which he pushed California Chrome through quick fractions and finished well to equal his highest Beyer Speed Figure, a 110.

Baffert said cutting back in distance for the Dirt Mile rather than stretching out to the 1 1/4-mile Classic is the right fit for Dortmund. He said the one-mile distance enables him to train the horse in a manner he believes will best suit Dortmund in the weeks leading up to the Breeders’ Cup.

“He’s a big, heavy horse,” Baffert said. “If I train him to go the mile and a quarter, it will be too hard on him because he’s too big, fast. I can freshen him up for the mile.”

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Dortmund added blinkers for the Awesome Again, and Baffert said he probably would keep them for the Breeders’ Cup. However, he said it’s not a necessary piece of equipment for Dortmund.

As for the move to a mile, Dortmund has won both of his starts at the distance, including the $75,000 Big Bear last October at Santa Anita. For that effort, he earned a 105 Beyer.

Dortmund is a 4-year-old by Big Brown who races for Kaleem Shah. He has a 5-for-6 record on the main track at Santa Anita.

◗ Frosted breezed five furlongs in 1:00 on Wednesday at Greentree in New York as he prepares for a start in either the Dirt Mile or Classic. He has berths in both races, and a decision on the route he will take is still pending, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Tuesday.

McLaughlin said Frosted is scheduled to breeze again next Wednesday before flying to Santa Anita on Oct. 23. He said Joel Rosario has the mount in either Breeders’ Cup race. Rosario was aboard Frosted for his Grade 1 wins that earned him the berths – the Metropolitan Handicap and the Whitney.

◗ Tamarkuz is on deck for the Dirt Mile following his runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Kelso last Saturday at Belmont. Mike Smith was aboard, and McLaughlin said he would like to have the rider team with the horse in the Breeders’ Cup. Tamarkuz earned a career-high 104 Beyer in the Kelso, which was won by the Cigar Mile-bound Anchor Down. Plans for Ocean Knight, third in the Kelso, have not yet been determined, said McLaughlin.

◗ C.J. McMahon has the mount on Texas Chrome in the Dirt Mile, said trainer J.R. Caldwell. McMahon is tied atop the rider standings at Remington Park and has guided the horse to wins in the Super Derby and Oklahoma Derby.