Dortmund sent to layup facility to get refreshed

Last year’s Santa Anita Derby winner, Dortmund, has been turned out at a layup facility a few miles from Santa Anita, trainer Bob Baffert said Thursday.

Baffert said he was not happy with the way Dortmund had been training in recent weeks and finally decided that the best course of action was not merely to stop on him but to also get him away from the track and let him rest up.

After winning last year’s Santa Anita Derby, Dortmund was third in the Kentucky Derby. He then finished fourth in the Preakness, after which he was given a five-month layoff before returning last fall to win two stakes, including the Grade 3 Native Diver at Del Mar in November.

The Native Diver was his last start. Dortmund had been battling a quarter crack that caused him to miss key races early at this meet, including the Malibu Stakes on opening day, Dec. 26. With the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita this fall, Baffert decided that the most prudent move at this point was to hit the reset button and point for a campaign that targets major races during the summer and fall.

◗ The consistent claimer Royal F J makes the 80th start of his career in race 1 on Saturday, a 6 1/2-furlong dirt race for $20,000 claimers. Now age 9, Royal F J has been trained for the bulk of his career by Jack Carava, his current trainer.