Dortmund, Firing Line shine in works

ARCADIA, Calif. -- Kentucky Derby aspirants Dortmund and Firing Line worked shortly after 7:45 Saturday morning at Santa Anita.

Dortmund broke off first, and went five furlongs in 58.80 seconds under jockey Martin Garcia for trainer Bob Baffert. He had a couple of tag-team workmates -- one early, one late -- who couldn't keep up.

Firing Line worked in company under Gary Stevens. He started three lengths back, caught his workmate -- Footstepsinbronze -- at the sixteenth pole and drew away impressively. He was given an official time of 1:00.40. Trainer Simon Callaghan had him in 59.80 seconds, and galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.

Both went very well. Firing Line has continued to thrive with time between races and looms a major player off his narrow defeat to Dortmund in the Robert Lewis and subsequent romp in the March 22 Sunland Derby. Because his prep will have been the least-recent of the Derby runners, he has become overlooked in this very competitive Derby, but he's doing very well.

"It was an ideal work," said Callaghan, who wanted Firing Line to sit off his company, which he did. This is a colt who is far more cooperative than he was months ago.

Dortmund was his typically strong self. He's not as flashy a work horse as stablamate American Pharoah, for instance, but he went about his business very well today.

Both Dortmund and Firing Line will remain at Santa Anita and have their final Derby works next Saturday before flying to Kentucky next Sunday.