Dortmund gets work done early

ARCADIA, Calif. – At intervals of a little more than an hour on Wednesday, Dortmund, Noted and Quoted, and Klimt had key workouts at Santa Anita for Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 4-5.

The three Grade 1 stakes winners, all trained by Bob Baffert, figure to be prominent in the betting for their respective races. Dortmund, who worked a half-mile in 47.40 seconds, will start in the BC Dirt Mile on Nov. 4. Noted and Quoted, who worked five furlongs in 1:00, is bound for the BC Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 5, the same day Klimt runs in the BC Juvenile.

All three worked in company with stablemates. Dortmund worked at dawn, unlike most Baffert workouts, which frequently take place later in the morning. Martin Garcia was aboard Dortmund.

“I’ve got a lot of horses to work, and I wanted to get a fresh track,” Baffert said of the early start.

Dortmund was second in the Awesome Again Stakes here on Oct. 1 behind California Chrome, the favorite for the BC Classic on Nov. 5.

Klimt, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 5, was timed in 1:00 for five furlongs Wednesday. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Klimt began about three lengths behind a stablemate and ran the opening furlong in 12.20 seconds, according to Baffert.

Klimt galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.40 and seven furlongs in 1:27, according to Baffert.

“That’s as good as you get around here,” Baffert said.

The BC Juvenile will be Klimt’s first start since a second to Gormley in the FrontRunner Stakes on Oct. 1. Gormley is also bound for the BC Juvenile.

Noted and Quoted, the winner of the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes here on Oct. 1, was ridden by Bejarano. Noted and Quoted began a length behind a stablemate and ran the opening furlong in 11.80 seconds. Via a walkie-talkie, Baffert told Bejarano to urge Noted and Quoted in the workout.

“Keep going, keep going,” he said.

Baffert timed Noted and Quoted in 59.80 seconds and in 1:13.40 for a six-furlong gallop-out.

Noted and Quoted was fourth in the Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 3 before rebounding in the Chandelier Stakes.

“She likes this track better,” Baffert said. “She didn’t train well after she broke her maiden [at Del Mar]. It was a good workout.”

Midnight Storm, the dominant turf miler in California in recent months, worked six furlongs in 1:15.40 for trainer Phil D’Amato. Midnight Storm has not raced since winning the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 21, his third consecutive stakes win.

D’Amato said Midnight Storm will have a quicker workout next Wednesday under the in-demand Bejarano.

“It will be his big tightener,” he said.

Despite his recent wins, Midnight Storm figures to be somewhat overlooked in the BC Mile.

“I’m my opinion, he’s a big contender,” D’Amato said. “With the exception of Tepin, he’s beaten some of the best milers in the country. Everything is going as planned.”